Lou’s job turned out to be another casualty of business’s “new normal” so that meant personal reinvention time.
For Lou, this wasn’t anything close to what he’d defined as being normal. He’d always been the one leaving a job for the next great opportunity.
Being downsized was an unwelcome experience because it didn’t align with his vision of himself. He saw himself as a force to be reckoned with, a power broker, someone who could sell anything to anyone.
Twelve months into an unsuccessful job search, he reluctantly sought career coaching. Lou and his coach explored what activities he had taken so far and examined why he had such little success.
As his coach pointed out, sometimes “a force to be reckoned with” needs a new script. His coach asked him if he might be willing to try a different approach…one that was softer and a little more giving. Desperate and humbled, Lou agreed.
5 ways to re-invent yourself…in a good way
Lou’s softer, less in-your-face job search strategy now has some new elements:
1) Proactively sharing your “A” game in new venues.
Be a volunteer, a mentor, a coach to someone in need of knowledge and skills that are in your tool kit. Share your expertise, your time. Be amazed at what giving can do for your career…and your spirits.
2) Look forward, not backward, to find new wins.
Perpetually telling people how good, how important, how powerful, you used to be gets, truthfully, to be a big yawn after a while. Value the past yet live in the moment.
3) Find new ways to add current value.
Take on a project, work as an intern, volunteer at a nonprofit, spend time at a local school. Build a new value proposition for yourself and those around you. Think more about we and less about me.
4) Be realistic.
Revel, delight in the large salary you used to earn, and glory in the fact that you got to enjoy it. Then get your head and heart in a positive space and be willing to accept a lesser salary that’s more aligned with the realities of today’s marketplace.
5) Be reciprocal.
This applies to recommendations on LinkedIn (and anywhere!). Always asking for favors, always taking without giving is another big turn-off. Surprise someone with an unsolicited recommendation (a good one, of course, and true!). Make their day and perhaps they’ll return the favor…and your calls!
What other new approaches would you recommend to Lou as he finds his way in his new direction?
Image source: morgueFile.com
