Crafting Experiments - Taking Action for Your Career Future
Trying to decide what's next in your career? Consider this question: When you imagine your working life in the future, is the picture fuzzy or clear?
If the picture is fuzzy, you may be thinking, "Oooh, that's bad. I should know what I want to do. I should set goals and plan." The old career wisdom tells us to reflect on our skills by taking assessments, choose between alternatives, and then change to the job that seems best.
But the new career wisdom tells us: Act first, then reflect on what your learn, then make a career move -- one that's informed by experience. Real learning comes when we take action. So, rather analyzing a bunch of possible new careers, go get some experience. Take a class. Attend a conference. Find an internship.
This experiential approach allows you get to know yourself better. You can answer questions for yourself like:
Many career coaches tell you, in the midst of considering a career move, that you should take personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (the one that tells me I'm an ENFP - extroverted, sensing, feeling, and planning). I think those kinds of tests can pigeon-hole people, and can create a narrow view of who you are. They're only one aspect of yourself, a short-hand that can leave you short-changed in the way you consider your future.
Herminia Ibarra, author of Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career
(2004, Harvard Business School Press) asserts that personality tests have their merit, but they leave us feeling like we have a static definition of our identity. Such tests can lead us to believe that there is a "right" career for us, and can stop us cold in our tracks. We figure that if we can't decide what "it" is, then why should we choose anything?
In fact, our identity is constantly shifting. We have a myriad of possible selves. So, instead of looking for one "right" job or career, it can be very helpful for you to test out different possibilities. If you think of yourself as comprising a cast of characters, perhaps one of your characters is "really adventurous and will try anything" and needs to test out running a whitewater rafting business. Another character is a "highly responsible volunteer" and needs to test out running the volunteer program at a local hospice. Still another inner character might be the "eternal student" who would love to work at a university and get the benefits of taking unlimited classes.
Make a list of your own characters. One way to figure out your characters is to think about people who "push your buttons" or make you feel very emotional. You can then describe yourself in terms of the way you feel in that relationship. With one of my old managers, she constantly challenged me to do things I thought were too hard, but I always found I could do them, and I did them quickly. So, I'd call myself the "I can handle anything...fast!" woman.
With a list of your own characters, you can then consider what types of experiments might "feed" each character. My "I can handle anything...fast!" character needed to be able to do work with a deadline...and I know I like writing. So, perhaps testing out something in journalism? I could intern at a newspaper, interview a journalist, query a magazine...there are many ways to do an experiment to "test the waters" and "get my toes wet."
Depending on how you set them up, these experiments could happen simultaneously, or sequentially, based on your schedule and interest. The point is to take the plunge, to get the experience. Then, take the time to reflect on it. Meet with a friend, a colleague, or even a coach (I'd be happy to help you in crafting and reviewing experiments) to discuss what you've learned -- particularly considering the questions above in this article.
Ready for a really fun way to explore a new career? Take a VocationVacation and test-drive your dream job. Want some more ideas for your career change? Join me on Wednesday, April 12, for a FREE teleclass on Crafting Career Experiments.
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