Why This Summer is the Best Time to Make a Change
This morning I read a great piece on using the “neutral zone” to figure out how to emerge from a traumatic event. In this case the pandemic. It’s a great way to spend these summer months thinking about what kind of life you want once the global health crisis gets under control.
If you’re happy to go “back to normal”, the neutral zone is a great time of reflection to enjoy the things you miss from the before times.
But if you’re like me and the before times were dominated by a need to change jobs, the neutral zone is also a great space to figure out what you want to do next. See, I didn’t make the change pro-actively, I was “restructured”. But getting laid off still set me on a path to figure out what I’m doing now.
It’s everything I hoped it would be and more.
Fear kept me from making the leap (ie quitting). I never felt I had a large enough financial cushion. When I was ultimately let go, I took my time figuring out next steps. It took about four months of networking and simply seeing what’s out there and what people are doing before I had a clear picture of what to do next.
You don’t have to white-knuckle it until you get a severance package or six-months salary in an emergency account to start painting a picture of what to do next. If you’re in a job you hate, congratulations! You have the financial freedom to figure out what you want to do instead.
Here’s what worked for me:
1. Activate Your Network
Your social media is rich with people doing interesting things and these are all people who you know or have things in common with. Reach out to them to find out more about the work they do, the industry they’re in, and how their work has been affected by the pandemic. This is a great way to research the hidden job market without actively looking for work. Industries had to change their usual way of doing things to adapt to strict public health measure. Guess what, they’ll have to change again when these strict measures relax but we still have to live with this virus somehow. Maybe the skills you do value in the job you hate will be better appreciated or more effective in a different environment.
When you’re ready to make the leap, you’ve already done the market research for any company or industry you may be interested in. If you’re thinking of freelance or consulting work, you’ve already warmed up connections that will help you line up your first clients.
Don’t worry about your current employer finding out and questioning your loyalty. First, the feeling of loyalty is often used to exploit workers. Believe me, when budgets need tightening, “loyalty” is a one-sided relationship. But remember, this isn’t an active job search. You’re just learning more about someone in your network.
2. Clear Your Mind and Imagine Your Desired Reality
When I first lost my job, the first question most people asked was “what do you want to do next?”
I had no idea.
I kept my answer vague and simply said “I’m still getting used to the idea of not working right now, but I’m also excited to see what I do next”.
It wasn’t until I started working with a career counsellor that I started putting into words what I wanted for my career 2.0.
In our first meeting I finally felt comfortable to voice what I’d been feeling for years: I want to do a bunch of things. For 10 years I was completely committed to one show, one job, one set of responsibilities. It meant a lot of other skills, that I truly enjoy, took a backseat and aren’t as sharp as I’d like them to be. I’m looking for shorter contracts that I can devote a set amount of time to, then move on to something else.
Now, it took a solid four months for me to actually set up a life where I’m doing a bunch of things. But at least I had a foundation. And a filter to judge any opportunities that came my way.
The one skill I missed most was writing. So I seek out and focus on any opportunity that feeds the need to write. I now have three writing-based projects, each paying in different ways. It’s exactly where I need to be right now, but a year ago I never would have thought of these opportunities.
3. Build a Cushion (or a Bridge)
In the years I was thinking of leaving my last job, I kept reading advice pieces that suggested having three to six months salary saved to help cover your bills while you seek out steady income.
Objectively this makes perfect sense. But I’ve never been able to save that much on my own.
Most of my money is tied up in real estate. None of it is liquid. I also live in one of the most expensive cities in the world, so my budget is pretty tight. Sure I was good at saving. But I’m also good at using those savings for home repairs, improvements and trips.
I really only managed to save up enough by getting a severance package. And even then, the thought of living on this account for an extended period of time brought back the same sense of fear and dread that kept me from changing jobs in the first place.
It wasn’t until I found a bridge job that I truly had the confidence to commit to growing a consulting business. It’s casual part-time work (although these days it’s full-time hours). And because it’s casual shift-work I can easily compartmentalize my various gigs based simply on scheduling.
This employer even gave me a laptop to work on, which is connected to their server. I do my consulting work on my own laptop. So not only is my work compartmentalized by schedule, but by computer too. It’s a great way to keep myself from feeling overwhelmed.
If you can find part-time work in the field you’re interested in, use this to help cushion your finances until you get steady work. This way you’re not waiting to build up your savings before making the change you really want.
This article is for entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice
