How to take the first step: Create your own parent career path

3 October 2016

By Clara Wilcox

Careers; they are the one thing that we think about from an early age and they take on another meaning once we become a parent. No longer "what I want to be when I grow up" and more, "what is going to pay the bills"?

In the world of The Balance Collective, no one should sacrifice their career aspirations once they are a parent, or their family time for their job. There is always a balance, often created through compromise and shifting priorities. 

Sometimes the choices we have seems so overwhelming it seems easier to do nothing, even though we know we want and need a change!

Do you stay where you are? Go for a promotion? Start your own business? If this sounds like the battle you are having at the moment, then read on.

Before you start signing up to online job boards, meeting recruitment consultants or applying for business loans, make sure you know what YOU want out of your career.

Not what you think you should do, or what “job box” others have placed you in.

By understanding yourself better, you can creative your own career path.

Grab yourself a pen and paper (and a cup of something nice) and answer these five questions about what you want out of your working life.

WHY?

Your values are the back bone of your decisions and behaviours; they can drive you or hold you back.

Write down the things that are most important to you and their definition.  For example, if you say “Security “do you mean financial, routine, and emotional or something else?

WHO?

Who do you want to work for? What sector? Who would you want your customers to be? How do these answers support or represent your WHY?

WHAT?

 

What are your duties and responsibilities? How will you be working? Face to Face or in an office or travelling?

WHEN?

 

This is where you consider your working hours you would like. Ideal terms and conditions and what type of management and leadership culture would you want? Do you want to be an employee or your own boss?

WHAT IF?

What is your must have? What would you compromise on? What are you missing (training / personal development / skills /experience) that you need to work on to bridge a gap?

 

Now you have all of these answers brain stormed, you can create your own career path and plan.

Pick one word from each of your questions that will represent your vision for your career.

This is you aim; your career goal.

What is the first step you need to take to make it happen? Now do it!

 

If you would like to access a FREE values workbook, then sign up to my newsletter by following this link.

http://thebalancecollective.co.uk/newslettersubscription/               

 

You will also find me on the forum every day this week, where you can post questions and I will get back to you as well as on the FitBumpBox facebook page where I am posting a daily tip. 

 

Clara x

 

 

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