7 tips for choosing (and loving!) your next job
Job search advice
The decision has been made, you change your job! Whether you’re still working or already looking for a job, it’s never easy to know what adjustments – big or small – you’ll need to make in order to flourish in your next job and feel better than your last one. Discover tips from Isabelle Paillo and Stephanie Leonard, authors of this practical guide I’m re-enchanting my professional life (1).
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Slow down to speed up
Be on the job! Too many people run from one task and rush to another without taking a proper break. Often they already know what they don’t want, but move on to a new job very quickly. It is often necessary to allow it to brew, to digest the previous experience, in order to be able to go further and experience the next adventure better. Not forgetting that some people suffer from the work they left: it is necessary to take time to heal, to accept the disappointment, sadness or anger. A bit like someone in recovery. This time will also allow you to take a step back: what did you do well in your last job? What positive do you take from it? What projects are you proud of? Noting these positives will make you feel at peace with yourself and help you move forward faster instead of dwelling on the negatives.
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Realize your professional life tree
The idea is to revisit your professional career, broadly speaking, from small summer jobs to the last job. It’s not just about listing your skills. What does that say about you? What did you appreciate the most? What is the leitmotif of all these experiences? Some people feel that they have an atypical or chaotic journey at times, but when you put things in order, there is always a sequence. Doing this will allow you to be aware of your strengths, appetites and highlight your experiences during the interview. For seniors, it also helps breathe new life into their career without focusing only on the last job, which may have ended badly and hurt their self-esteem.
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Set limits
It’s important to know what you no longer want to experience at work, taking into account the context of each experience and, conversely, the ingredients that are key for you to feel good about yourself at work. This dual list will guide you in choosing the ads to respond to, but also during the interview to find out if the work environment suits you, for example, at this exact moment in your life (your desires can change with age, throughout your career). You have the power to say no or set clear limits to certain situations that you no longer want to experience again (long hours, lots of travel, telecommuting, etc.). So you will be an actor again in your professional life!
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Listen to the lives of others
If you want to become a freelancer or change your career completely, don’t hesitate to ask people who have the professional life of your dreams. The goal at this stage is not to ask them for advice, but simply to listen to them. Ask them to tell you about their past, their present life, the challenges they face, the limitations of their work or status… This will allow you to see, through real and concrete examples, whether this path is really made for you. or if it was just a fantasy life.
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Consider his needs now T
If you have a strong need for security, starting a business might not be the best idea… Or, just to be sure, choose an activity where you can quickly build partnerships or find repeat customers. Everything is also a matter of time. Sometimes you need to know how to put a project back a few years to get everything in order.
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Proceed step by step
Adopt a strategy of small steps. Divide your research or project into different phases. Actions one after the other, setting priorities. The time it takes to complete it varies from person to person. If you come out of burnout, for example, you’ll need more time (and that’s not a problem!). Everyone has their own pace, the important thing is to move forward without cutting corners.
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Demonstrate mental agility
If you don’t have a fixed idea in your head that makes you think this is a complete solution for you, then nothing! As with romance, professional life is full of wonderful surprises. You still need to have an open mind to understand them! Reach out to people with different looks and backgrounds to avoid confirmation bias. To avoid falling from a height, also be pragmatic: put your project up to the test of reality (the market, your personal limitations, operational or positional challenges, etc.) and refine it as needed.
Also read: Changing lanes: white page syndrome
(1) Re-enchanting my professional life, Loving your job at any age, one age or another !, Isabelle Pailleau and Stephanie Léonard, 2023, Eyrolles, €20.
