The Self Styled Career

Creative career solutions often emerge after the fact. Perhaps, you have experienced the hassle of being downsized or discovered that after all that training, your position is a dead end.

I’ll never forget one of my colleagues discovering that she had gotten the “wrong degree,” in terms of opportunity and earning power. Fortunately, she was young enough and had just the right amount of ambition to make an adjustment. She was not a happy camper, but for her, returning to graduate school was ultimately the correct decision.  Someone else facing a similar situation might have gone a completely different route, being certain that their higher education days were over, now as the time to start a new business venture.

Or, maybe the office politics in your workplace are getting too dicey. You somehow feel compromised or come to work every day stressed out for fear of making an unintentional blunder, whatever that may be.  Dealing with awkward office dynamics and/or workplace re-structuring are known to be key drivers of change.

My advice is to take your time. Do your research. Don’t panic, look within, journal your thoughts and feelings, and most importantly discuss your career ideas with someone whom you trust.  You would be surprised at how often a pause and reset can be incredibly productive. You are making thoughtful and important decisions. You are being intentional.

In my upcoming memoir, The beauty world through the lens of a psychiatrist, I went through this process, and this is exactly my conversation- how an add-on career enhanced my role as a doctor. Stay tuned!