You’re done, you finally have that degree in hand…and now what? Maybe like most millennials you are now finding that the degree you worked so hard for has given you very few job opportunities, or that the job you did find makes you feel empty and longing to do what you really want to do.
Either way, welcome to a quarter-life crisis. If you need any more evidence of your crisis state this buzz feed list is rather convincing.
So is this all there is to adulthood? Are you doomed to work a job you hate or work hourly retail and service jobs because that’s all there is?! Why can’t you get the jobs you want?! How on earth are you supposed to get 1-3 years of experience for an entry-level job?! Isn’t the point of entry-level that you have no experience?! Why did college not prepare you for any of this?! Why did no one tell you that an undergraduate internship is kind of a big deal for jobs?! How on earth has so-and-so gotten their dream job and a perfect life?! Why is the interrobang such an underused punctuation mark?
While I cannot answer all these questions directly, career coaching can help you shift your trajectory from, “Why am I stuck here?” to “I’m excited about where I’m headed!”
Here are 5 questions to get you started on your career coaching journey:
- If all your needs were taken care of, what would you do for free just because you love it?
- Now thinking about what you would do for free, why would you be happy doing that work? And what are the practical things about the work itself you would enjoy?
- Do you have the education or skills needed for such a job?
- If yes to 3, then are you branding yourself according to that desire?If no to 3, then what are the options and obstacles associated with getting that education or skills?
- What’s stopping you from pursuing work you would enjoy? Go for it!
One of my career coaching clients was a music teacher who loved the flexibility in her schedule and the creative aspects of her job, but she had a burning desire to work in fashion, designing, and styling high quality custom fit garments. She felt stuck and unable to make the switch. Through career coaching we were able to identify opportunities for her to gain experience, build her portfolio as a stylist, and begin to define her personal brand while still working her job as a teacher. She now is working as an independent stylist for a custom men’s clothing line and volunteering with an organization that teaches refugee women how to sew. She’s maintained the flexibility and creative aspects she loved about her work as a music teacher while at the same time stepping into a new career track she is excited about.
“Talking with Leah gave me permission to be excited about what I’m interested in, and helped me see the next step in creating a career that fits naturally with who I am.” -Victoria, Career Coaching Client
Another client was working full-time as a manager in the retail job she had been in since college. She had an impressive double-major in journalism and film but struggled over and over to get the jobs she wanted. We looked at her linked-in account and resume and reworked it all to highlight her writing and copy editing skills rather than her history in retail. She applied to a few more journalism jobs and about two months later has a new job as a copy editor for a local newspaper.
These stories can be yours too. Career coaching helps you to see what you haven’t been able to see about your career on your own. Career coaches aren’t magical wizards that create options that didn’t exist, a good career coach simply highlights the options that you never realized that you had.
If you want to get started on your own career coaching journey to overcome the quarter-life crisis I offer services in person in Atlanta and online via video calls. Career coaching is part of my life coaching services.