Test Drive Your Career: Why try before you buy works
Have you ever wanted to test out potential career options without leaving your current job?
To see whether it would be a good fit for you
A job or career that you could love
Well,
Today, I’m talking about career experimentation and the secrets to making those crucial 'stick or twist' decisions.
Hello and a very warm welcome to Episode No 79 of ‘Your Bravo Career’
My name is Mark Crossfield, I’m a Professional Career Coach / helping you to love your job and build a great career.
This podcast is about why your career matters
How you can enjoy what you are doing day each day at work
and how to build a great career along the way.
Introduction
Welcome everybody to Episode No 76
Today, I want to talk about how to test out job options using experimentation and in particular how to assess those options and decide on your next career move.
You will know, if you have listened to my podcast for a while, I often talk about the fact that, many of us fall into the trap of trying to think our way into a new career path.
We spend endless hours introspecting, analysing, and planning.
It’s agonising. If we could just find the one perfect job that would be right for us ..
Everything would be ok.
Even better if we can make a no risk, no hassle transition to this new career.
I did this when I was stuck in my career.
I was forever trying to think about what I should do, I was working as a chartered civil engineer in an operational management role.
But I didn’t enjoy my job and at times I hated it.
I wanted out. But what could I do instead?
I would daydream about other jobs and fantasise about my perfect job showing up.
But, let’s be honest, it’s hard to let go of a career in which we’ve invested so much time, training and hard work.
Also, a career change is about changing your identity, or working identity as Herminia Ibarra calls it, in her book of the same name.
And,
It’s even harder if you don’t know what the alternatives are …
In effect, there is no alternative working identity which you can move towards.
So, we know that, and all evidence supports this, that real change doesn't begin in your thinking about what’s next?
Instead, it starts with action.
I talked about this in Episode 59 when I introduced the concept of career experiments.
Career experiments are short-term, low-risk activities that expose you to a career skill or area you might be considering for your future.
They allow you to try out new job or career roles without risk, on a limited scale, without compromising your current job or having to leap into a new position too quickly.
In Designing Your Life, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans make the point that ..
For most people, passion comes after they try something, discover they like it, and develop mastery - not before. To put it more succinctly: passion is the result of a good life design, not the cause
Herminia Ibarra, who I referenced earlier, says, "By far the biggest mistake people make when trying to change careers is delaying the first step until they have settled on a destination. The only way we figure out what we really want to do is by giving it a try."
So, let me briefly recap on the types of career experiments you can try right now in your career journey.
And then I will focus on how you can assess these experiments to see if they are indicating which direction you should be moving in.
Remember, these experiments are not only about testing your career ideas but also about creating a new working identity for yourself. They provide you with the space to fail, learn, and try again.
The first one is …
[1. Job on the Side]
The first experiment you can try is engaging in some sort of job on the side. For instance, you can explore a side hustle or some part-time work in a field you're curious about. This allows you to gather real feedback without leaving your current job.
Secondly, there is …
[2. New Project in Your Existing Organisation]
Consider getting involved in a new project within your existing organisation. It exposes you to new experiences, new contacts, and fresh perspectives. This can help you determine if it's an area where you'd like to excel and enjoy working.
Then we have a …
[3. Secondment Opportunity]
Secondment opportunities are another way to experiment with your career. If there's a chance to work in another part of your organisation for a short while, seize it. It exposes you to different organisations, projects, and ways of working.
Then we have …
[4. Volunteering]
Volunteering is a fantastic way to explore different occupations and industries. It allows you to gain insights into roles, challenges, and rewards. You'll also build a network and a better understanding of potential career paths.
So, these are some of the career experiments you can started with straight away, but, and here is the focus of today’s episode …
How do you assess these experiments and decide what might be right for you?
It sounds obvious, but it might not be as obvious as you think.
You see, career experiments are not just about trying out different roles; they're also a journey of self-discovery.
When we embark on these experiments, we're not merely testing the waters of new career paths; we're exploring who we are and who we want to become.
You are in fact re-inventing yourself.
This relates back to the aspect of identity or working identity I mentioned earlier.
So,
Let's explore how these experiments can be a catalyst for self-discovery.
Here are key aspects to consider with career experimentation and trying new things at work.
Some questions to ask yourself. When you did new role experiment …
1. What was your experience and how did it make you feel?
It’s important to pay close attention to how you experience each career experiment. Did you wake up motivated to work on the experiment? How did you feel at the end of the day?
Take note of the moments of enjoyment you may have had.
How enthusiastic were you?,
Did you get a sense of fulfilment.
How you experienced the experiment provides important clues about whether it’s a good fit for you or not.
Also, looking back, how often were you engaged, energetic or in a state of flow?
This is also very useful feedback.
I remember when I carried out my Career Coach training, which was spread over a couple of weeks in London. After about the third day I was filled with Intense feeling of happiness. I had this very strong positive feeling that this is what I wanted to do with my life.
Also, it’s important to reflect on the negatives - were there some negative feelings which surfaced during your experiment?
Next, it’s important to consider …
2. How the Experiment Fits with Your Values:
Research shows that those who are most satisfied and motivated by their work are in careers which reflect who they really are.
careers which reflect their true nature.
Consider whether the career experiment aligned with your core values. Did you feel a sense of purpose and alignment with your values in this role, or did you find yourself in conflict with some of your values?
Identifying this alignment or misalignment is important.
If you are not sure about your values (i.e., the things that are important to you), you can listen to Episode 56 when I talked about how to work out your values.
Now, another thing to think about,
3. How Did You Describe the Experience to Others:
Think about how you've described your career experiments to friends, family, or colleagues. Did you passionately talk about your experiences, sharing the highlights with enthusiasm, or did you find it challenging to convey your excitement?
The words you speak out loud, and how you speak to people about your experience, can reflect your true feelings about the experiences you have had.
Next, it’s important to think about …
4. What You Now Think of Your Existing Role:
So, now it’s important to compare your experiences from the experiment or experiments to your current role. Has your perspective on your existing job changed? Do you now see it in a different light?
You might consider your current role to be much less attractive now,
Or, you might see how you could re-engineer your current role, based on your experiences away from your job.
You might even see your current job in a more favourable light …
Think also about the …
5. The Impact on your Work-Life Balance:
Assess how each experiment affected your work-life balance.
Did you find greater harmony between your personal and professional life? Or could you see there is much more potential for a better balance. Better for you that is.
Understanding your ideal work-life balance is crucial for long-term job satisfaction.
And finally, when it comes to evaluating these experiments, what has the impact been on …
6. Your Working Identity:
Changing careers means rethinking your working identity – that is how you see yourself in your work and career.
Experiments allow you to ‘try on’ a new identity for a short while.
How did that identity suit you?
My identity as a coach when I first qualified. Pro bono coaching of professionals in other organisations. Allowed me to try on the identity as a coach.
What about you?
Summary
So today we have been talking about career experiments. Exploring potential career options without having to leave your current job?
And, as I mentioned real change in your career doesn't begin with just thinking about what's next; it starts with action.
I re-introduced the idea of career experiments which I first discussed in Episode 59. These experiments enable you to try out new roles and industries on a limited scale while maintaining the security of your current job.
The only way to discover what you truly want to do is by giving it a try.
Some career experiments include:
[1. Job on the Side]
[2. New Project in Your Existing Organisation]
[3. Secondment Opportunity]
[4. Volunteering]
Then I discussed how to analyse your experiments:
How do you assess these experiments and decide if they're the right fit for you?
To evaluate your experiments effectively, consider these key aspects:
How Did the Role Experiment Make You Feel?
Alignment with Your Values: Does the experiment align with your core values and sense of purpose?
How You Describe the Experience to Others: Reflect on how you've described your experiments to friends and colleagues.
Impact on Your Current Role: Compare your experiment experiences to your existing job. Has your perspective changed
Work-Life Balance: Assess how each experiment affected your work-life balance.
And finally …
Your Working Identity: Changing careers involves rethinking your working identity. Consider how trying on a new role temporarily suited you, just as I tried on the identity of a career coach.
By interpreting your career experiments through these lenses, you can gain profound insights about yourself. Keep an open mind and be ready to adjust your career path based on what you discover about your authentic self.
In Herminia Ibarra's words, "In the reinventing process, we make two kinds of changes: small adjustments in course and deep shifts in perspective."
A final quote
I’ve learned that there is nothing more consistent with unhappiness than spending your time in a way that doesn’t serve who you are ... there is no more profound source of fulfilment and happiness than knowing you are traveling your own path... — Scott Dinsmore
Call to Action
Now, it's your turn. Start your journey of self-discovery through career experiments. Take that first step, no matter how small, towards trying out new roles and experiences. Embrace the opportunity to learn more about yourself and your true career desires.
Section 8: End
Thank you for joining me today.
You can find today’s show notes at bravocoaching.co.uk/podcast.
If you are interested in working with me, you can book a free discovery call on my website.
Have a wonderful week and I will speak to you again in a couple of weeks time.
Bye for now.