"Holidays are a magical time," says career coach Airlie Bell*. "When we step away from our regular work models and allow ourselves to imagine other careers, when we can play around the edges of probability and stray into the realm of possibility.
"It might start with giving yourself permission to ask 'what do I really want'? And if I were to pursue that dream, what would I need to do? We can move our thinking to a completely different place."
Airlie advocates giving ourselves a safe space and time to adopt a more playful approach to career - and life - planning. "I encourage people to create scenarios that might be complementary or competing," she says. "To ask 'what might make me feel more satisfied or that the work I am doing is meaningful?'
Summer is a really good time to explore avenues that may not seem practical or that we may have not first thought of, to have some fun pretending and moving past the barriers we put up for ourselves, which may be illusory anyway.
Academic success advisor Anna Dellow says allowing ourselves to relax is the key. "If we are constantly stressed and rushing, we tend to become less effective in our thinking and far less likely to imagine the ‘what ifs’ or ’what could bes’," says Anna. "Allowing yourself to relax enables you to explore alternate ideas."
We can be our own worst enemy when it comes to applying limits to our dreams. "As an idea begins to take shape, we can find ourselves automatically listing all the reasons why it won’t work or can’t happen," Airlie says. "At this point, it doesn’t hurt to consciously shift from the practical to the playful. And avoid the temptation to land on the first ‘right’ answer. There is no single ‘right’ career choice. There are numerous career options, all of which have the potential to provide satisfying and enjoyable work. While considering new career directions, set yourself a target of 5 or 10 possibilities that you want to explore."
And Anna recommends rediscovering the power of positive thinking, starting with positive self-talk. "If we are taking the time to imagine what could be, we may as well do this with gusto," she says. "Try to ditch the negativity and focus on what you are good at. Imagine you are a colleague or friend who has asked you for advice. You wouldn’t immediately point out the things they are less capable of, but instead would be more likely to identify their strengths and capabilities."
Airlie says it's in the exploration phase that the realistic self comes back and has a role to play. "But it should be realistic and optimistic – don’t dismiss a potential career move because you assume it will be impossible," she says. "A change of career may require new skills and knowledge, so what would you need to do to acquire this? A change may require relocation - would this be possible?
A shift in career does not have to be achieved in a single move.
If a complete change of career is too disruptive, make a plan of study over time to gain the skills and qualifications you will need. Think about how you might start connecting with others who already work in the area that interests you. Explore the variety of contexts and places where you could find the type of career that you are seeking.
"Start the year with a plan of action – but be prepared to adjust your plans as you move forward, because you never know, something even more interesting might be just down the road. And any consideration of a new job or career should take into consideration our unpaid responsibilities and priorities as well as our paid ambitions."
*Airlie Bell leads the Bespoke Career Concierge Team at UNE that comprises Anna and Kate Pardy.
