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Are You Going Through the Change?

Recently I ran into a colleague that was going through a transition. He was changing from one company to another, taking on a new position as part of this transition. This was not a voluntary change. He remained positive about his situation, but very introspective about his recent experience. One thing he said in this conversation really made an impression with me. He commented that in order to say current in our field, you need to be two years ahead.

I completely agree. Those seeking advancement in workforce development need to be visionaries or risk being left behind, but isn’t that true about every industry?

This is a world of rapid change. In some industries, by the time you have completed your education or training, it is outdated. Newer and better ways are constantly being developed. As I write this, change is happening.  The only way to keep up is to change, evolve, grow, and develop CONSTANTLY!

For job seekers this trend is going to make it more difficult to get back to work. Being out of the thick of it even for a minute can break career momentum, so being out of it for six or more months while collecting unemployment is a disaster.  Once back, the catching up takes time.

For the employed, it means the same. Keep up or get left behind. For me it is the same. I am constantly going through the change to the new. I may not like the change or I may not be the kind of person that embraces change, but is happening. As an employed individual, I have a choice. I can accept that I need to change, grow, adapt, develop, and be the captain of the “me” ship or stay stagnant, resist, and get left behind. Everyone all the time is going through the change, so coaching job seekers and career advancers to stay current in professional development, even if not employed is crucial.

Another piece to understand in the world of change is that everyone is a job seeker all the time. I do not have to be actively applying for jobs online to be a job seeker. I might be happy in my current position and the situations of the company have changed and suddenly I am a job seeker. I need to be aware that this could happen. It is important in this time to remember that at any moment, change can happen, and I need to be ready for it and prepare for it.  I am changing as I write this. You are changing as you read this.

I do want to make it clear that I am not saying that all changes are good. That is a value judgment. A change that is good for one person is not good for another.  My only point is to say that change is happening all the time. In order to stay current, you need to be two years ahead. In other words, you need to predict change and be prepared for it!

I am going to leave you with two questions to think about.

Are you going through the change?

                       What are you doing to prepare for the change?


I welcome questions and comments. Feel free to comment below or to email me at kcirincione@gmail.com. ~Karen Cirincione

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