CHAPTER FOUR: MAKING THE CHANGECareer planning and changing is a never-ending process. Our needs, values, goals and circumstances will constantly change throughout life, and it only makes sense that our careers would change as well. As human beings our lives are not static. Some of the events of our lives are planned, such as getting married or having a baby. Others, such as a change in financial status or losing one’s job, are not. What one looks for in a job or career will be affected by the circumstances at the time. Table 4-1 (Henderson 1986) outlines the phases of life, the themes and purposes of that phase and where a nurse’s career might be at that particular phase. Making a career change is stressful. That is why it’s important to understand oneself, know the options, make a decision which combines the two and develop a goal-directed plan. Stress is reduced when it feels managed, and it can only feel managed if you feel in control. Making a plan of action for your career puts you in control. To begin, it is helpful to understand what is important to you. Your values are what drive you through life; they help you to make decisions and choices. When the choices you’ve made match your values, there is a level of comfort and satisfaction; when not, it will feel like chafing at the collar. If you value affection and physical closeness above all else, then you certainly would not want a job where you sat in an office making phone calls all day. If security is the driving force of your life, then going into sales, with the ups and downs of a commissioned based salary would be a disaster. Exercise 4-1 will help you identify what is important to you. All the career planning exercises, tables and figures which follow are excerpts from Managing Your Career in Nursing, (Henderson 1986). Personal interests will affect the type of work you are drawn to. A person who works full time is devoting approximately one third of his or her life to a job. It should be enjoyable. The things you enjoy in your free time should be a natural part of your work life as well. If you love to socialize and meet new and interesting people, yet your job has you glued to a computer terminal, you will more than likely come home snarling at the end of each day. You would probably thrive in the area of marketing or sales. Do Exercise 4-2 to help you identify your interests. Then refer to Table 4-2 to see what category those interests fit into – Things, Data or People. Figure 4-1 depicts Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Needs may range from basic survival, such as obtaining food and shelter, to those which are much more esoteric, as realizing one’s full potential in life. In order to feel secure and satisfied one’s needs must be met. Exercise 4-3 helps you identify your needs. Now you can take the results of the preceding exercises to outline your personal characteristics in Exercise 4-4. You should see some significant patterns in the three areas of Values, Needs and Interest themes. You can now match your personal characteristics to a few of the career alternatives explored in Chapter 2. You are ready to work on a career development plan, Exercise 4-5. Your plan is your road map. You need a destination and then the directions for how to get there. Without such a road map, you can’t possible hope to reach your goal. This is not written in stone, however. Once you begin networking and exploring the market, you may make some adjustments along the way. Table 4-2 will help you to measure your progress by establishing a time by which you want to complete the tasks necessary to reach your goal, such as going to the library for information, making informational phone calls and going on interviews. Circle the date in red when it has been completed. Since a career change can sometimes become tedious and discouraging, it will help to see that you are actually accomplishing something and getting closer to your goal.
THE SEARCH Once goals are realized and a plan developed, the search begins. Someone with a goal does not wait to run across the perfect job in the classifieds. An assertive approach is necessary to hasten the realization of your dreams. The key element is you, active and self-directed. You choose your path, design your plan and guide the course of your actions. You can create your own opportunities, not just wait for something to happen. A job is easily obtained; a career is a pursuit that you design and promote. It does not just happen. It is actively engineered (Henderson 1986). The appendices at the end of this course may be helpful in identifying organizations which could supply information, education or training opportunities, networking possibilities and job listings. The public library is another good source of information. Particularly in obtaining lists of companies or facilities that pertain to your career goal. Networking and informational interviews are excellent ways to find out information about the career you are interested in, as well as making yourself visible in the job market to which you want to sell yourself. Networking is the act of attending functions where you have the opportunity to casually meet professionals working in your area of interest. An example of this would be to attend a seminar on Utilization Review or go to a meeting of the National Nurses in Business Association. An informational interview is not the same as interviewing for a job. You are actively seeking out individuals who are doing the job you’re interested in and meeting with them to gather information. You may simply contact people over the phone, explain that you have an interest in looking into the type of work they do and request ten minutes of their time. You will want to meet these individuals dressed as if you were going to a job interview. You never know when there might be such a position available and they’ll introduce you to the manager or recruiter in charge of hiring. Go prepared with a list of questions. Exercise 4-6 is a good questionnaire to take on an informal interview. This type of approach presents you in an extremely professional manner to the environment you want to be in. From networking and informational interviewing you may find your hunches were right and this would be the perfect job for you, or you’ll find out things you weren’t aware of that may change your mind. That’s all right. You’ll never know anything unless you put yourself out there and try. When you have identified particular companies or facilities where you would like to work, you’ll want to send a cover letter and a resume. It is preferable to identify the manager of the position you would like and direct your letter and resume to this person. Resumes sent to human resources departments are very often filed away without much notice if that particular position isn’t available. However, a manager knows the needs of the department before human resources. There may be someone going out on maternity leave, or someone not measuring up to the job description, or the manager may be looking to expand the department. So, make a phone call to find out who is in charge of the department, send a brief and professional cover letter with a resume specific to that position, and then follow up with a phone call to that person in about one week. Try to get a face to face interview even if there is no such position available. Any good sales person knows that you want to get yourself in front of the customer. A professional appearance, friendly personality and the ability to express yourself well can sell you to an employer much more effectively than a piece of paper. You can simply say to the employer that you’d love to come in and meet with him or her anyway, that you’re very impressed with the company and you’d like some information; turn it into an informational interview. Knowing something about the company when you meet the employer is also an advantage and gives you an air of professionalism. Writing a brief thank you note after an informational or job interview is good etiquette, as well as once again bringing yourself to the employer’s attention. You may also want to follow-up with a phone call every few weeks if this is a position you are very interested in. Friendly persistence can be impressive to an employer. Nothing makes an employer happier than to find a qualified individual who is sincerely interested in the job and the company/facility. Since you are probably seeking a position for which you have not had previous experience, be sure to highlight areas I your resume where you have had experience related to the job you seek. Mention if you have attended workshops or taken courses to gain knowledge and experience in this area. Many employers are willing to hire someone without experience if they demonstrate professionalism, intelligence and interest. This is why it is so important to present yourself face to face in an interview and to network with professionals in your area of interest. Never doubt your ability to learn something new and don’t be afraid to tell an employer that. Nurses are always required to learn new skills, wear many hats, think fast, juggle many activities at one time and respond to crises. Certainly this is someone capable of applying experience and education to a new area. It’s your job to convince a prospective employer of that. A word on Executive Search Firms, often called “Headhunters”. These recruiters are paid a commission by an employer to find someone who has expertise in a particular area. If you have worked in Utilization Review and are trying to find another job in the same field, then an executive recruiter can help you. However, if you are changing careers to something for which you have no experience, then an executive recruiter would not work with you. The rule of thumb is that you as the potential employee should never pay anyone a fee to help you find a job. Beware of any employment agency that asks you for payment. Employers pay for excellent employees, not the reverse. Your career is a reflection of you. It should express the uniqueness of you. No one will do the job the same way you do, because you bring your own special talents and personal characteristics to it. If your career matches your values, needs and interests, then it will be satisfying and enjoyable. It will flow out of you so naturally that you will hardly notice you are doing it. People who are well-matched to their careers are constantly recognized and praised; yet often do not notice their own abilities. This is because the work they do is such a natural expression of themselves they hardly notice they are doing it. A person designing a career is not just looking for a paycheck but a calling; an opportunity for self-expression and self-actualization. Though any job will have its stressful days, someone who is well-matched to a career feels happy and vital. This person has the energy and interest to make it through the stressful times because the work is so satisfying. This is an enviable position to be in, and one that is possible for any nurse desiring a career change. The key is to take the time to know yourself and your options. Developing a career plan is an investment in your life and happiness. You have the most to give when you are taking care of yourself first. What better way to take care of yourself than to enjoy what you do every day. Table 4-1 Adult Developmental STAGES AND NURSES’ CAREER STAGES
(Henderson 1986) Exercise 4-1 Your Most Cherished Values Listed here are 20 life values identified by Hagberg and Leider (1982). First read through the list, thinking of your values as modes of conduct that defines your behavior and desires. Then reread it and rank the values in the spaces provided from one (1) (most cherished to twenty (20) (least cherished). Click here for Excercise 4-1. Exercise 4-2 A Modified Interests Inventory Sets A to F in this exercise are descriptors from similar inventories by Hagberg and Leider, Johansson and Bolles. Twelve activities, which describe things you may enjoy, are listed in each set. As you read each list, use a check mark to indicate the activities that reflect your interests. Use a number in the appropriate column to indicate the extent of your interest from 1 (low) to 3 (high). Add your interest scores and place the total in the score box at the end of each list. An interpretation of your scores follows the sets of exercises. Click here for Excercise 4-2. Exercise 4-3 Identifying Your Needs Read the following list of 25 needs and check those that are most essential to you. Then rank those selected, beginning with 1 (one) as the most essential. If you have particular needs other than those listed, space is provided at the end of the list for you to write them. Include any additions in your priority rating. Click here for Exercise 4-3. Exercise 4-4 Profile of Your Unique Personal characteristics According to the results of your assessment of your personal characteristics (Exercise 4-1) how would you describe yourself? In the columns that follow write your five most cherished values, the five essential needs you gave highest priority and the interest themes in which you scored 22 and above. Click here for Excercise 4-4. Exercise 4-5 Career Development Plan Click here for Excercise 4-5. Table 4-3 Timeline chart for Goal and Objectives
a Year means this year: year + 1, next year, etc. Exercise 4-6 Interview Questions and Findings Click here for Excercise 4-6. Next: REFERENCES |
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