Having run Career Counseling Connecticut for over 15 years, I have never seen anything near the amount of career changing activity that I have in the last two years. Even the Great Recession – which forced career change on so many – was not near the catalyst as the pandemic.
Some observations for why:
1. Recognizing that “life is too short”….
About half of career changing clients led with some version of that line in their opening e-mail to me
Knowing people who died due to Covid had the effect of making many realize that they had to take control of their life soon.
2. Desire for meaning (or enjoyment)
Whenever I discuss career goals, I use the term “happiness and success”. The latter people understand well enough. The former people understand…. sort of. Happiness entails simple happiness: “I enjoy talking to clients” but also includes the deeper satisfaction that is part of long lasting happiness: “I feel like I am making a difference.”
3. Control of time
22 years ago, I was an an attorney who went to the office every day. I commuted about an hour. One day I had a court case near my home. Rather than drive back – it was 3 in the afternoon – I told my secretary that I would work the rest of the day out of my house. The partner – Jim S. (and I hope you are reading this my old friend!) – was irritated: “If we have to be here, you have to be here.” Many of my career counseling clients have the great desire to control their time as they have during the pandemic. It can be done!
4. The Boss
Speaking of the boss – and Jim S. was one of my better legal bosses – anyone who has had a micro-managing boss knows that even the best of jobs can be ruined by a boss who is omnipresent and overbearing
5. FaceTime… not to be confused with iPhone’s FaceTime
Everyone who has worked in an office knows the feeling of the afternoon lull. It’s 4:30. You feel drained. You did all the work that needed to be done and there really is nothing worth getting started on and regardless, you are just not energized to do so. You could drive home and beat traffic. But…. you can’t. Even if you are not not “on the clock”, no one leaves before 5:30. So you pretend to be busy for an hour and then battle traffic on the way home.
It doesn’t have to be like this… we can help.