Quintessential Careers:
In a Down Economy, Maybe Career Reinvention is in the Cards
by Randi S. Bussin, CCMC, CPBS, MBA
In a difficult economic climate, many individuals are being forced to either switch industries or
careers completely. They may not be happy about it, but feel they have no choice.
Others are considering a career reinvention because they are burned out in their current role,
or because they have a desire to find more meaningful and fulfilling work.
In either case, career reinvention is a complicated process (meaning it takes time) and requires
a serious commitment to self-assessment before you can determine a strategy to execute.
In this article, I'll discuss the concept of self-assessment and why it is so important, as well
as some questions for you to ponder as you begin this process.
What is Self-Assessment? Why is it so Important?
Many people have never taken the time to evaluate their skills, values, interests, and other
parameters that are important to their life and work. Often, they have gone from college to work,
taking on role after role, and never assessing what makes them happy. It is only when they find
themselves miserable, frustrated, and unhappy that they begin to question everything. It is at this
moment that career self-exploration is so important. Before you can change careers, you have to
go back to the basics – knowing who you are, and mapping out a strategy for a transition.
This is where self-exploration comes in; it is an activity in which you step back from your busy schedule
and delve inside to better understand yourself. It is usually one of the first steps (and in my mind, the
most important one) in career reinvention. It is a process by which you gather information,
such as skills, strengths, interests, personal brand, communication style, to make a more informed
career decision.
Why is Assessment Important?
When you slow down and look inside, you begin to get in touch with a part of yourself that cannot
be tapped during the busy lives we lead. A period of self-reflection can:
What are the Parameters to Assess?
During the self-assessment phase, you may want to consider evaluating all or some of the following:
Here are the parameters that are ideal to start with:
Values
Here are two questions to ponder:
Interests and Passions
Skills
It is important to make a distinction between the skills you are good at and those you are good at
and enjoy. The latter, called "motivated skills," typically lead to career satisfaction and should be
central to your focus in career transition.
Here are some skills questions to think about:
Final Thoughts
Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search
terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.
Understanding your values is probably the most important of the assessment parameters. Why? Because
values touch the core of who we are, why we work, and what we hope to get out of our work. A mismatch
between your values and those of the organization for which you work mostly likely will lead to career
dissatisfaction. A poor fit in values may be the reason you are considering career reinvention.
Finding what you are interested in and passionate about will most likely will lead to enjoyment. Reflect on
your past and the things you have enjoyed? What activities do you currently love?
Skills are important to identifying the right work function -- the tasks at which you can succeed
and be the happiest.
I hope this article helps you better understand the complexity or career reinvention and highlights
some useful data for launching your own transition.
This article is part of Job Action Day.
Randi Bussin, CCMC, CPBS, MBA, is a Career Reinvention Strategist and holds
the Reach Certified Personal Brand and Online Identity designations. The
founder of Aspire!, she partners with
successful individuals, helping them find more meaningful work while
reigniting the passion that has dimmed professionally. She guides them to a
renewed sense of direction, an actionable career reinvention, and a personal
branding plan. Reinvention can be a new career, a role more aligned to
values, an entrepreneurial pursuit based upon a passion, or a retirement
game plan. Randi has changed careers twice, working in high tech, higher
education, and is a serial entrepreneur. Learn more. She has an MBA from INSEAD and an MA from Tufts University.
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