Up on the roof!

Have you ever said to yourself, “Here I am, stuck on the roof. Where do I go next?”

You've achieved your goals and you're where you set out to be, but now it is time for another challenge and you do not know where or what that is.

Sometimes when we have arrived where we wanted to be and have experienced it, enjoyed it and achieved something from it (not only for ourselves but those who have benefitted from it), we arrive at a point where we say, “Been there, done that, what next?” It's almost a similar situation to those who are not able to move on from lower down than the roof. It can also be said that ‘Up on the roof’ can be a lonely place.

Some people are happy to stay with their desired goal; others may feel they want to move on. So how do you decide what is next?

Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself:

• Am I stuck in a rut?
• Is the place where I am now the ultimate of what I can achieve in this area?
• Have I learnt anything from here or in my past that would help me to move in a different area?
• Do I have interests in other areas?
• If so, what is the most important to me?
• Do I need to learn more about it?
• Can I accept that I might have to take a step down in order to start to rise up again?
• Can I use the knowledge I have to enter into a different expertise and take a step sideways onto another roof?
• Does my CV reflect everything I need to move on?

If you take a look at some of the following roles, it is inevitable that after a period of time these people will be looking for something else because of the very nature of that position:

• the Prime Minister
• a Member of Parliament
• a sports player
• a pop star
• a position on a contract term

Do some research and look at what they did after their high flying roles. They had to change course, so they eventually found areas of interest which were not necessarily connected with their previous position, and some of them have been very successful in their new careers. They found hidden talents which they explored and succeeded in.

How do you do it? 

You need to prepare yourself:

• Make a list.
• Check what talents and areas of interest in which you have expertise.
• Look at what you need to do to back it up, i.e. do you need to take a course?
• Do you need to gain experience?
• If you need experience, how do you get it?
• Look at who would be able to use that expertise.
• When you feel ready, market yourself and apply for positions.
• Can you convince another employer you are worth taking on?
• If you decide to go it alone and become self-employed, how do you convince those who wish to use your services that you are competent?

It's one of the most well-known conundrums of the career world. No experience, no job. No job, no experience. Even more relevant when you are making a major career change.

It's only when you have made an assessment of yourself that you will be able to move in another direction and one in which you will be entirely happy. To accept that you may have to step down to step up again, that you may have to re-train even though you have a good knowledge and you may have to find a way of getting that desired experience, even if it means volunteering.

To help you along this route, there are two things you can do, first discuss your intentions with someone you can trust, someone who knows you and may see things about you that you cannot see for yourself. Second, talk to a life coach who will help you explore your options.