Does this sound like you at your job everyday?
Lisa (not her name – she is still actively employed!) is bored. She is working at a job that no longer interests her in a company that is slow to act, doesn’t listen to its employees and tolerates long term employees who no longer perform. In other words she is no longer engaged. She checked out a while ago.
But Lisa is not satisfied to be one of the 70%+ of Americans who are not actively engaged. Not Lisa. She is determined to make a change! She wants to reevaluate everything – what she does, where she works, where she lives. Why not? She is in midway through her career. She can no longer imagine living this way for the next twenty years.
Lisa allows herself to consider a different, possibly more satisfying way of living. She explores different locations, different companies, and different kinds of positions. She made lists of what she wanted and what she knew she did not want. She made lists of people to contact who could introduce her to influential people to move her job search forward.
Along the way Lisa found a fabulous opportunity at Amazon in Seattle. She networked and found a connection to make an introduction. She researched the region, even exploring where to live. She decided the region was perfect and found an apartment that welcomes pets in a great neighborhood.
Lisa had two telephone screens and is awaiting an invitation to an in-person interview. The prospects look great for the life change Lisa wants.
I couldn’t be prouder!
What would you do in Lisa’s shoes? Would you have the courage to step out of your comfort zone? Are you willing to accept a future as a disengaged worker for the next however many years of your life? What is your dream?
It is the Ultimate Life Challenge Game – To make your life and career meaningful.
Lisa is doing it right. Take note of the steps she followed.
1. Evaluate your current situation. Are you happy with your path forward? Are you engaged with your current employer and your current role? Do you love your current community or is there another place you would rather be? Do you have the life/work balance (whatever that means to you) that makes you feel good?
2. Make a decision about what you want and what you are willing to do.
3. Be specific about the kind of people you want to work with, the kind of companies you would like to work with and the region of the country where you want to build your life.
4. Research positions to find how to describe the perfect position.
5. What companies in your target region employ people in that perfect position?
6. Who do you know or who can you meet who can introduce you to opportunities in your new region and at the target companies?
7. Begin an organized outreach effort with a networking campaign. Follow up religiously.
8. Arrange visits to that region then arrange appointments for coffee or if you are lucky, interviews. Squeeze as many meetings and coffee into your visits to your target region.
9. When you visit with contacts and companies, evaluate whether those people and companies meet your requirements about the idea people, positions and companies. Be sure to note the plusses and minuses so you can make your comparison based on your personal criteria, not on emotions along.
Lisa is determined this is her year. Take these nine tips and create your own plans to find the position that keeps you engaged.
