I once had a client who came to me to find a new job. Was he in danger of being let go? No, he was doing very well and so was the company. Was he unhappy? No, he loved his boss, colleagues and the company overall. Was he no longer interested in his line of work? No, he planned to continue doing exactly what he was doing now.
Why then did he feel the need to leave?
In my client’s case, he felt topped out. The friends he graduated with were moving up in their companies, but his group was small and flat, so there wasn’t anywhere to go – his boss had over 10 years’ more experience so it would be a while before my client caught up to that level. My client’s FOMO (fear of missing out) was prompting him to leave an otherwise good job in order to grow professionally.
However, there are many ways to grow professionally that don’t require the disruption of leaving your job – especially if you love it. I worked with my client to confirm the areas where he wanted to grow and to get crystal clear on what success would look like in each of these target areas. Then we created a plan to get results in each of these areas.
Instead of leaving, my client renewed his appreciation for his job. He found outside interests, such as teaching at his alma mater, that provided challenge, fulfillment and skill development. In the end, my client avoided a costly disruption and still advanced his career. We’re still in touch, over 10 years later – he ended up running his group.
The approach my client took is Step 2 in my book on career change, Jump Ship: 10 Steps To Starting A New Career. Get a step-by-step plan to change your career to something you love – just $4.99 on Amazon.
