Recently, MindBodyGreen.com published “5 Questions to Ask Yourself to Make a Wise Career Change.” And while making a career change is difficult, one of the points they brought up raised a larger point for me – one that I wanted to make sure our Career Girls were talking about. MBG says that, when considering a career change, you should ask yourself this:
Can I add value to this field?
We experience the most satisfaction when we are in flow with what we do. How do we get into flow? It’s when our abilities, passions, strengths, and values are in alignment. It’s when we feel perfectly challenged–neither bored, nor overwhelmed. It’s in this sweet spot where you can truly add value.Think about a time in your life when you totally lost track of time. Of course, we cannot expect to always be in flow at work, but these experiences are extremely valuable in that they tell you what to pay more attention to. This is especially important when considering a career move. After all, you’ll spend a lot of time at your job, so you might as well choose one that brings you joy.
- Join and participate regularly in LinkedIn groups specific to your job or your field.
- Sign up to attend an industry conference. If you’re already a leader, consider applying to be a speaker at some conferences as well.
- Get your Google Reader filled with industry blogs. Comment, offer to guest post, and get to know the bloggers.
Go ahead, Career Girls, get leadership moving in your career, and not just in your business, but in your field and sector.
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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