5 Indicators It’s Time to Seek Out a Career Coach

When it comes to most aspects of our lives, we tend to think we can do it all on our own, the American emphasis on individuality and self-determination. This is also true in our careers and we can find ourselves reluctant to seek out help, even when we would benefit from it.

Perhaps it’s time to get some job advice and support from a career coach. Unsure if this is right for you?

Consider these situations when you might want to seek out the help of a career coach.

Difficulty finding a job. You’ve been applying to jobs for weeks with no success and you’re getting frustrated with the results and lack of interest from potential employers. A career coach can help you adjust your job-seeking strategy, so it best fits your skills and interests.

No advancement in career. If you’re feeling stuck in your career, it can be useful to have someone who is removed from your workplace evaluate and assess your career and help you identify some factors related to your career plateau.

Job dissatisfaction. Perhaps you have a long-standing (or new) sense of disinterest in your work or a feeling that you are in the wrong job or career. Talking to a career coach can help you identify the reasons for your dissatisfaction and develop a game-plan to better enjoy your work situation.

Negative evaluation. If you’ve ever received a negative job evaluation or annual review or even some less-than-positive remarks about your job performance from your boss, then you know how painful that can be and how useful it might be to walk through it with a professional coach or counselor.

You want better. A career coach can be an asset even when everything is going well in your career. A coach can provide the inspiration and knowledge you need to take your career to the next level.

Don’t be unwilling to seek out the help of others when it comes to improving your job and career situation.

Four Ways to Manage Stress and Anxiety at Work

You have a big project coming up or you’ve taken on new responsibilities at work and you feel anxious. When we encounter something new or have an increased workload if is easy to feel overwhelmed.

But you don’t have to through it alone and there are ways to manage the stress without going crazy at work, quitting your job, or kicking the dog.

If stress and anxiety is getting you down at work, implement the following four practices. 

Identify any patterns related to your stress. If you can find specific patterns to your stress and anxiety it becomes easier to develop some strategies to deal with it. For example, if you notice more intense stress on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings as you begin to turn your attention back to your job, you can be better prepared to face the work week. Perhaps the anxiety increases in the lead up to making a presentation at work. This information can lead you to decide to take a public speaking class at the local college, or join the Toastmasters, or avoid procrastinating and have the presentation prepared a few days in advance to allow time to get comfortable. Once you’ve identified patterns related to the stress and anxiety you experience you also help to reduce its power over you.

Discuss the situation with your supervisor. Don’t be shy about asking for help. Oftentimes we don’t want to admit to feeling stress at work because we don’t want our manager to think we’re incompetent or unable to handle the job. However, it’s necessary and important to our growth as a person and as an employee to learn to seek out help when needed. Your boss can likely offer some suggestions or tips that can reduce your stress, and sometimes it just helps to have someone lend an ear.  

Take care of your health. Our physical health plays an important role in dealing with stress and anxiety in our lives. Be sure to get enough sleep, engage in some movement and exercise daily, and be intentional about the foods we eat and the drinks we consume. Alcohol and coffee can negatively impact our sleep, while also contributing to a sense of grogginess or jitters during the day. Also consider adding time in your schedule for a brief meditation practice.  

Seek out professional help if necessary. At times we can feel overwhelmed the stress and anxiety and are unable to see a way out of it. If this describes you, seek out a counselor or therapist. You can likely find a good one in your area who is specially trained to treat anxiety and stress.

Considering a Career Change? Here are 8 Steps to Take

Career changes and transitions can be scary and feel overwhelming, especially if they are forced upon us through a layoff. It's much easier to begin to make that transition for ourselves, and on our own schedule and terms.

If you are contemplating a career change there are steps you can take to ease the transition and help you feel ready to take the plunge.

Here are eight steps to making a career transition:

1. Meet with a career counselor. The first step you might consider is to meet with a career counselor and discuss your training, skills, experience, and interests. The counselor can help you explore the career options that would be most suitable and help you develop a plan to get there.

2. Take a skills or interest assessment. Identifying your skills and interests will help clarify your direction and this can be done with a career counselor or on your own.

3. Job shadow. Once you've identified a job or career area of interest consider spending a few hours job shadowing someone currently working in that field. This will help you get a clearer sense of the job and whether it matches your interests and skills.

4. Research education or certification requirements. Some jobs or careers require you to attain a specific level of education or to have state certification. Find out if you need to supplement your education.
 
5. Take a class. You might need additional education for certification requirements (see above) or you just might need to update your skills or learn a new technology. If so, consider signing up for a class at your local community college.

6. Online training. There are many opportunities to take free classes online and you might find something to increase your skills as you consider your new career.

7. Seek guidance from a mentor. Talk to someone you trust and get their advice and counsel about your career and possible plans for a change.

8. Network. Work to expand your network of contacts, especially in fields related to those you're considering for your career change.

5 Steps to Deal with Work or Career Anxiety

Many people experience anxiety or fears related to their work or job situation. For some, there is a generalized anxiety about facing the day, dealing with unexpected occurrences, or communicating with colleagues. Others who are unemployed may find it increasingly difficult to take the necessary steps toward getting a job.

Here a five ways that you can deal with work or career-related anxiety and fears.

1. Acknowledge the anxiety. Recognize that the anxiety and fear is there and is not unique to you. Understand that your anxiety does not have to control and define you and that you can take steps to minimize the impact on your career and job happiness.

2. Meditate. Simply taking 5 minutes in the morning to sit and meditate can bring significant benefits. Meditation has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression and many successful entrepreneurs laud its impact on their success.

3. Set one simple goal. Achieving one goal, even a simple one, can have a ripple effect and enable you to move forward more effectively. Apply for one job, call one friend, attend one networking event, make one proposal, ask one question. It only takes one. And you must do one before you can do two.

4. Accountability. Let at least one other person know about your fears and anxiety and let that person know about the one goal you set. Ask them to hold you accountable and support you in achieving the goal and developing other strategies and plans to help ease your anxieties.

5. Celebrate. It does not matter how simple the goal or how small the achievement. Reward yourself with a celebration for taking a step forward and there will be many more opportunities to celebrate as you move forward and deal with your anxieties and fears. Be sure to include your support person in your celebration!

A final note: If necessary, seek out professional assistance. Many therapists or career counselors can assist with helping to recognize the causes of anxiety and develop effective strategies to help work through the fears.