Competency #11: I can gain support of family and friends for making a job or career change

Nothing is more important than the support of your most trusted “inner circle” as you navigate your future.  Most people think they are in this process alone, but in actuality, “no man (woman) is an island” and this is never truer than when you’re considering a career change.   You can’t and shouldn’t do it alone, people!

In this age of social media where seemingly everyone is connected seamlessly (and unknowingly), your ability to both seek and find career opportunities has never been easier.  What will be necessary, though, is to understand how to seek and ask for support. Also, know and accept that this is part of managing your career. You are your own best friend, remember?

If you’re like so many people, you may be reluctant to ask even your closest friends for advice, information about careers they’re familiar with, or people/family/friends who may know about or know someone who does know about a job/career area you might be interested in- let alone strangers! FEAR NOT! There are many low-risk ways to go about this.

I once attended a workshop designed to assist job seekers that included the most amazing activity that I must share it with you!  Dick Gaither (look him up- he’s pretty special) was discussing how to find contacts, even when you know no one in your community.  We discussed how FEAR and pride keep most people from contacting strangers (or friends/relatives) for advice, information and support, so he directed every participant in the workshop to spend the afternoon, locate a local company, and ask to speak to the hiring manager.  If we were asked why, Dick explained, we were simply to say that we’re on assignment for a class we’re taking and that we need 5 minutes of the manager’s time so that we could ask a couple of questions.  Dick said that 99% of the time, we would be successful.  We were instructed to ask the manager one question:  what do you most look for when hiring people at your company?

Of course, everyone was from “out-of-town” and didn’t know where go.  Dick left that up to us- get in our cars, and drive until we found something.  To assuage our fear, he promised to meet up with us later at the bar for a beer and a debrief, AND casually mentioned something about not accepting a job offer if our hiring manager offered us a job. (Yes, it really does happen).

I found K-Mart down the street.  I was able to easily access the manager, and not only did I complete my assignment, but I made a great contact.  I sought out support. The manager was so impressed that he asked me if I knew anyone I could refer.

So…you get the point.  Simple. Low-risk. High reward. I occasionally “assign” this activity to my more reticent clients.

Family is often a different matter.  Expectations, obligations, fear, pride, and self-confidence all play a part in the dynamics of asking for support.  What are you afraid of? Support doesn’t have to be much.  It can be as simple as a pat on the back, and as complex as a series of telephone contacts to people-who-know-your-people.  (Of course, that’s the principle of LinkedIn- professionals helping other professionals). 

Take a dive into the deep(er) end of the pool and seek/obtain the support (guidance, counsel, job leads, devil’s advocate, etc.) today.  You owe it to yourself, and you can’t do it alone.  It’s the right step towards moving in the right direction.