Q 12 I'm lost career-wise. How do I figure out the right career/job for me?
I found this one of the most popular questions on a lost career.
You are not alone.
I always thought I had designed my career well, but sadly it has been in someone else's hands except for the last ten years.
You might slow down or face multiple obstacles that are enough to overwhelm you. You lose visibility in your career journey. This is my realization: I could bounce back twice in my career after two failures in my entrepreneurial streak.
How do you take your next move when lost in an unknown terrain?
You start checking the Google map for direction, right?
Grab a map when you find no way out. Get a mentor or career coach.
Trust me, that is the best way to avoid trial and error or getting dragged into deeper trouble. At this point, you can not afford to take the wrong steps.
Let me share another perspective!
While a career is a journey, jobs are carriers.
You must have decided where to reach by the next ten years. What leadership or functional head role do you intend to hold? If you fail to reach there, you will start feeling FOMO. That again gets aggravated when you compare it with your peers.
Be honest with yourself, you might be getting late, but you have not lost sight of your career goal. Mainly the jobs (as vehicles) in the journey failed you.
Here, you need to gather the courage to
Restart; I call it Jumpstart your career
Find the right job (vehicle) for you. Now, how to find that job that will get you what you want in a shorter span as you have already lost enough time?
I will share three secrets I have used to identify my next move in similar circumstances.
#1 Anchor your Niche or specialization to propel your growth. It could be the turnaround point as you go deeper into your micro-niche. You will start selling your profile and find the company that values your micro niche.
For example, I was a generalist HR guy. Still, one specialization that built my reputation was making HR a profit centre that helps earn money beyond being strategic support to the business. It would help if you found yours.
#2 Compensation is proportionate to the role you hold. The role is not just designation, but how important you are for the business or how much leadership acceptance of your decision determines your importance.
This is critical for any leader; otherwise, you will not get your path to progress. As you grow in your career with high to higher responsibility your bargaining power will increase, and you will start earning in multiplier rather than a percentage.
So, find a company where you can explore these possibilities.
#3 Find a stable, well-funded smaller venture rather than a large enterprise. These start-ups are the best places to jumpstart your career.
People generally get lured to brands and MNCs. You will be a small fish in that sea who struggle to create your identity. This might look weird to some, but this could be the best possible strategy to grow faster.
You need to research those companies and keep track of their growth trajectory, product innovations, sales, and funding to choose the top three where you can start pitching.
If you still need more ideas, connect with me at www.curatescope.com, and do not forget to upvote.
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