When your spouse or partner relocates, it’s a great time for you to reevaluate what is working and what could be better in your own career. You might welcome the change, or perhaps not so much. For those of you who are apprehensive about leaving your current job behind, or for those who might not have worked for a while, there are career coaches to help you discover more about yourself and your new location through coaching.
Recently, REA Career Coaches teamed up to discuss career exploration and how to best support you. It is common for relocated individuals to want to find out what the job market is like in their new community, and how to explore those options. Here are Best Practices your REA career coach is ready to share with you:
· ASSESSMENTS: REA offers the opportunity for you to take assessments to determine your skills and strengths. Before taking any assessment, your career coach will discuss what you believe your strengths are, and then after the assessment, talk to you about the results and any surprise findings, and what careers might best suit you. Assessments will help give you a sense of focus and a place to start when seeking a fresh opportunity.
· INTERESTS: What do you enjoy doing? What do you do in your spare time? What are you passionate about? What industries are of interest to you?
· VALUES: What do you value in a job? This could be proximity to work, work-life balance, wages, work at home vs being in the office every day, benefits and perks, industry type, philanthropy, small vs larger company, non-profit vs corporate, sustainability, and more. A coach might ask you to “Describe your ideal job.” This form of self-exploration is helpful for you to pinpoint what you seek in a job and an employer. Your career coach might also offer values exercises to help get you “unstuck.”
· INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS: A great way for you to explore a career through research is to interview an “expert,” meaning someone who already works in that role. The term informational interview might make the expert shy away, so oftentimes the coach will recommend that you call it a Discovery Conversation; this label is a less threatening way to gain a 30-minute conversation with someone. It is recommended that you have a list of questions ready for the expert, and your coach can help you develop those questions. Then you should confirm with your expert whether this will be an in-person meeting over coffee, Skype, Zoom, or over the phone. Your coach can discuss ways to network and seek out those experts in the new community.
· JOB MARKET: What is the job market like in your new community? What companies or organizations are located in the new location? Is the new location a large metropolis or small community? For example, if you are moving to a college town where the university is the largest employer, you might want to consider where you might fit. If moving to a rural area, what is available nearby? How far are you willing to commute, and what modes of transportation are available? Your REA career coach is ready to support you in your new adventure!
In closing, career exploration with an REA career coach will help you to understand that Strengths + Interests + Labor Market = Opportunity!