How to make career changes work for you

Change is an integral part of life. for the most part, there is often little you can do to stop it happening. The secret is to take control of the changes you want to make, follow a structured approach and move forward purposefully to achieve those dreams.

By working through the key phases of the change cycle, you can chart your way through the turbulent dynamics involved in change, rather than just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. Here’s how:

Choosing to change. When life seems to be going pretty well, sometimes it can be all too tempting to ignore the need to make changes, because doing so might bring uncertainty and risk rocking the boat. But change is all around you. It is always lurking and you have a choice either to resist it or tackle it full on.

Tackling change. This is best done in ‘slow time’. Taking time to reflect on and evaluate your options will make you feel more in control of the process and reduce some of the uncomfortable feelings associated with making change. Knowing how to instigate the right changes in the right sequence makes things seem more certain. Ask yourself:
1 How did I become aware of the need to make the change?
2 What are the pros and cons of making this change?
3 What preparation do I need to do before I implement the change?

Chartered occupations psychologist Kate Keenan’s book, It’s All About You, costs £12.99 and is published by Ecademy Press