There are many clues that suggest you are in the wrong career. Most of them relate to how your work makes you feel. For example,

• Do you dread getting up on a Monday morning?

• Do you get to the end of the day and feel exhausted?

• Is your career affecting your physical health, mental health or relationships?

• Do you find your work boring? or pointless?

All of these can be signs. But it can be tricky to pinpoint the underlying causes of your dissatisfaction on your own. You may also dismiss these feelings as temporary by thinking "it will get better when...". Or worse, you may blame yourself for not being better at handling your job.

The truth is, it's not your fault you're unhappy. My clients find that when they dig deeper, it's the job itself or the work environment that is not aligned with what they need. Sometimes both.

To feel fulfilled in your career, you need a combination of tasks you enjoy, a field you are interested in and an environment that supports you to work at your best. It also needs to be aligned with what motivates you - whether than's meaning, recognition, financial reward or something else.

If you'd like to find out how well your work suits you, and whether you should make a career change, take my free Career Match Quiz.

Career Counsellors work in a range of different ways. Some use an organic, creative approach and others are more scientific and process-driven.

I work with clients in a thorough and systematic way (I'm a scientist at heart and a strong Myers-Brigss INFJ!).  This involves taking you through my simple, step-by-step career change program, Define Your Future, to explore your options, and support you to make the best data-driven career decision. 

This thorough approach is critical if you feel you only have one chance at making a career change and need absolute confidence that you're making the right decision.

Many of my clients feel this way - especially those who have families to support and those in their 40s or 50s who want to make their career count.

To learn more about my counter-intuitive Define Your Future process, take a look at my free webinar "How to Discover, with 100% confidence, the Best Career for You"

This is a bit like asking "How long is a piece of string?" but professional support can drastically reduce the time a career change will take.

To explain how, you first need to understand that there are the following four stages to changing career. 

1. Identify your preferences and priorities. What do you enjoy? What are you interested in? What do you want from your new career?

2. Find the career that ticks the boxes and gives you what you want. What is the best career for you to change to?

3. Plan your transition. How are you going to get from where you are now to where you want to be?

4. Execute your plan to make the change.

Identifying your new career path and planning your transition (Stages 1-3)

Through my Define Your Future program, this can take anywhere between 4 weeks to 6 months depending on how much time you have available to devote to the process and how quickly the pieces of the puzzle fall into place for you. The average time taken is 8-10 weeks.

You may be able to figure this out on your own, but it's possible you could waste years going around in circles. Personally, I spent 7 years trying to figure out my career change on my own before I found the right person to help me. And one of my clients admitted that she was stuck for 17 years! 

Making the transition (Stage 4)

Once you know where you are heading, you can start putting your plan into action. Depending on what you choose to d and where you are starting from, this could take a matter of weeks or potentially years. It's a totally unique path.

The good news is, I know from personal experience and that of my clients, that having a plan and knowing that you're moving in the right direction gives you a huge boost. Even before you have achieved your career change, you feel a sense of clarity, purpose and greater satisfaction.

Do you want to change careers but don't know what your new direction should be?

If your answer is Yes, then my Define Your Future program will help.

Through the program, I'll help you get unstuck by working with you to build up a picture of what you want in your career, finding career options that match and supporting you to make a decision and plan your future.

Once you are clear on the career path you want to take, making the change is simple.

Completing Define Your Future will give you a clear direction for your career change but, as many of my clients have reported, it can have many other benefits. These include,

Boost Your Confidence

Through the program, you'll identify your strengths and be able to see and articulate the value you have to offer. It also builds your confidence and numerous clients have told me they've become more assertive in asking their employers for what they want and need. 

Give you a more Optimistic Outlook

When you can see that you have options and opportunities ahead of you, it can shift your whole perspective. Many of my clients have reported that they feel more optimistic, energised and excited about life in general after working through Define Your Future with me.

Increase your Productivity and Performance

Having a clear career plan gives you a feeling of control and purpose. When you see how your work is helping you get where you want to go in life, you'll feel more motivated which will improve your productivity and performance (even before you complete your career change).

Increase in Energy

Feeling stuck and spending countless hours trying to figure out what to do in your career is mentally and emotionally draining - probably a lot more so than you realise. 

Many of my clients comment that once they're clear on the career change they want to make, they feel like a weight has been lifted. They feel energised and inspired and able to focus all their energy on making progress towards the future they want.

Being a Positive Role Model

Have you ever felt that you're not being the role model you want to be for your kids? Every parent wants to do the best they can for their children. Above all else, we want them to be happy, so being a role model and having a career we enjoy is critical. For some people, it's also important to have a career they feel proud of - one which is meaningful and has a positive impact on the world.

I remember one client describing his wish in such detail it gave me goosebumps. He shared this vision he had of himself sitting on his verandah with his grandchild on his knee, telling them about what he had achieved in his life.

If this resonates with you, you'll see how important it is to take control and make the career change you've been thinking about.

Working through a career change program like Defein Your Future can be equally effective in-person and online, however, there are benefits to working via a video platform such as Zoom.

Efficiency and Flexibility

Working online can be more efficient than working in person as it saves you the time it would otherwise take you to travel to meet in person. It can also be easier to schedule a session during your normal working hours (or over your lunch break) whether you are working in the office or from home.

Using Digital Tools and Resources

The ability to screen share and work in shared documents makes it easy to collaborate. It means that I'm able to demonstrate a tool, teach a technique and share notes, all while maintaining a personal connection with you over video.

Whether you want to work on your career change in person or online is a personal choice. I will always do my best to accommodate my clients' preferences if they are based in Perth and wish to meet in person. 

Not everyone who supports people through a career change will have qualifications. For your peace of mind, it's good to ask about credentials to ensure the person you work with has the knowledge and skills to get you the outcomes you are looking for.

Qualifications

In Australia, Graduate Certificate or Masters degree qualifications in Career Development are available. The Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA) has an accreditation program for these courses which ensures they are adhering to a set of professional standards.

Professional Association Membership

As well as qualifications, you can also assess the credibility of a Career Counsellor or Coach through professional association membership. 

The most relevant for mid-career professionals in Australia is the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA). Professional Membership of the CDAA assures you that your Career Counsellor or Coach is qualified, has agreed to abide by a Code of Member Standards and Ethics, and is covered by professional indemnity insurance.

My Credentials

Personally, I hold a Master's of Career Development, have been a Professional Member of the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA) for 10 years and won the CDAA Award for Excellence in Practice (WA Division) in 2021 for my Define Your Future career change program.

There are dozens of assessments and tools that can help you explore what career could be a good fit for you. You may already be familiar with some. 

Many of these tools can be valuable but they need to be used strategically as part of a structured career change process. If you try to use them on their own or expect them to tell you what career is best for you, you'll most likely end up confused and frustrated. 

When I work with clients who want to change career, I use four assessments which I've hand-picked for specific purposes. They relate to the key questions you need to answer to find a fulfilling career. For example,

• What tasks do you most enjoy?
• Do you want to work independently or in a team?
• Do you prefer detailed or high-level work?
• Should you work in a structured or flexible environment?
• What are you motivated by in your career?

No single assessment covers all the necessary dimensions you need to consider. But if you use the right combination to explore what's important to you, they can give critical insights to help with your career change so you find a career you love.

Yes, absolutely. When you work through my Define Your Future program, you'll consider the skills that you most enjoy using* and the fields you are interested in to build up a picture of what will make a career satisfying for you.

Through the process, I use different methods to draw this information out of you, including asking specific questions and using targeted assessments. Once identified, I'll guide you to explore career change options that will combine these skills and interests. 

*It's critical to think about the things you enjoy doing rather than what you are best at. If you don't, you will likely get trapped in a role where you spend most of your time using the skills you are good at, but hate. These are known as your 'burnout skills' and for good reason! I will guide you to ensure that you don't fall into this trap.

Yes, absolutely. 

Through Define Your Future, I'll help you get clear on what you want your life to look like and what 'balance' means to you. This includes considering questions like,

• How many hours do you want to work?
• What level of workload are you willing to accept?
• What flexibility do you want around when and where you work?

Once you are clear, you will add these criteria to how you assess your options along with the other aspects of what will make a career fulfilling for you. By doing this, you will ensure work-life balance is incorporated as you plan your future and make your career change.