Is It Time to Move On In Your Career? Have a Plan!

Is It Time to Move On In Your Career? Have a Plan!

Time to Move On?

Are you reaching the point where it is time to move on in your career?

Why are you staying?

Inertia. Inertia is a dangerous thing.  You might be saying:

I have been here too long to just leave.

I am too valuable to let go.

I will wait for the next package to come along.

Or, are you just too comfortable in your position, and to move on would be a lot of work?

Either reason is dangerous. In most cases, you probably have not yet formulated a Plan B.

(More: Do You Have a Plan B for Your Career?)

 

Example #1

I am currently working with a gentleman who has worked for a large technology company for over 30 years. Last year, everyone on his team was offered an early retirement package. My client turned the offer down.

The problem was that everyone else on his team took the package! His boss even took the package.

He is now doing the work of four and, best he can tell, there are no plans to back-fill the other positions.

He has been offered a generous retirement package again.

Is it time to move on? You tell me!

(More: 3 Signs You Are Institutionalized Like Brooks at Shawshank)

Example #2

I just talked with a nice lady today who has been programming IBM mainframes for the same company for 20 years. Her employer has rarely laid anyone off. The plan is to migrate off the IBM mainframe over the next few years.

She is being offered opportunities to learn new programing technologies, but it does not excite her. She really does not know what she wants to do. She is in her early 50s and has been doing the same thing for a very long time.

It is time to move on! The problem is what to move on to.

(More: 4 Signs That You Are Working for a Failing Company)

18-24 Month Plan

She is like several clients that I have whose time to move on is very near. With each of these clients, we are putting together an 18-24 month plan. They know the future lies in working for themselves in one way or another. That plan includes:

  • Performing market research on starting a business, freelancing, or finding multiple employers that would be interested in their services on a contract basis
  • Creating the business plans for the next step
  • Establishing their business on paper as either an LLC, LLP, S-Corp or C-Corp
  • Creating a budget and allocating resources

You are probably saying, “How will I do all that?” I am sending all of them to their local Small Business Development Center for help! These centers are funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and are FREE!

When the time comes that they are approached with a business opportunity or told by their current employer that their services are no longer needed, they will be ready.

(More: Are You Ready to Become a Freelancer – Infographic)

They are ready financially.

They are ready with the business plan.

They are ready emotionally.

It is the third piece that is really crucial.

When I started Career Pivot, I had my business plan in place. I knew the financials. I am a recovering engineer, so I had everything logically laid out.

That still did not stop me from waking up at 3 AM every morning in a sweat thinking, I do not have a paycheck.

Being ready emotionally, when the time to move on comes, is critical.

Are you going to be prepared when the time is right to move on?

Is It Time to Move On In Your Career? was originally posted in January of 2015 on the Career Pivot blog.

Marc Miller is the founder of Career Pivot, which helps Baby Boomers and others design careers they can grow into for the next 30 years. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn.

 

Marc authored the book “Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers.

DUANE DOWNER

Project Specialist at Portsmouth OH DOE

8y

One should look for their next job...........EVERY DAY of your life. This is especially true if you are over 55.

Sandy E. McDaniel

Sandy McDaniel Designs| 3D Modeling and AutoCAD| See the Possibilities

8y

Thanks Marc for the tips. Working on my business plan now.

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Alan Geller 🖊

The unexamined life is not worth living… Socrates

8y

"I am currently working with a gentleman who has worked for a large technology company for over 30 years. Last year, everyone on his team was offered an early retirement package. My client turned the offer down. The problem was that everyone else on his team took the package! His boss even took the package. He is now doing the work of four and, best he can tell, there are no plans to back-fill the other positions. He has been offered a generous retirement package again. Is it time to move on? You tell me!" Perhaps not. Does the fact that everyone else (including his boss) took a package necessarily mean that he should take a package? Perhaps he enjoys getting his hands dirty and wearing multiple hats. Perhaps he's not interested in retirement at the moment. Perhaps he attended a Tony Robbins "Date With Destiny" or "Unleash the Power Within" event and is one motivated dude right now. I say more power to him!

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Paolo Tonassi

Direttore Generale presso Confcooperative Alpe Adria

8y

it's very focused issue. Especially nowadays

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