Making a Career-Life Transition: What’s At Stake?

by admin | Aug 8, 2017 | Uncategorized

Every adult moves through several important and predictable stages in their career-life journey, with the ending of one stage and the beginning of the next involving a period of adjustment. 

In his well-known book Transitions, William Bridges explains that transitions involve 1) an ending, followed by 2) a period of confusion and distress, leading to 3) a new beginning. He warns us that the transition process can take its' "toll on us physically as well as mentally and socially."  

Current adult stages are believed to be young adults (22-34), early middle age (35-44), late middle age (45-64), young-old (65-75), middle-old (76-85) and frail old (86+).  A career-life transition can take place at any one of these stages, including late stages since people are living to advanced ages and often working in paid roles into their 70's and 80's.

The factors listed below can impact the experience and outcome of a career-life transition. Use the questions to help support and inform your transition process. 

Timing/Readiness:  Does the change fit with your stage of life? Does the change involve embarking on a whole new life chapter, e.g. adolescence to adulthood, entering late middle age, or middle-old age? Are you ready for the change, or does it feel forced or premature? What do you need to do to prepare yourself for what lies ahead?  What might you need to let go of? What supports do you have in place to ease you through the transition?

Imposed or Self-Selected: Is the change your idea, or has someone or something influenced or forced the transition you face? This could include termination of employment, the sudden ending of a relationship through divorce, death or illness. You need to have resources in place whether you have chosen to engage in something new or it's been forced upon you.

Role Adjustment:  Roles include behavioural expectations created by ourselves and/or by others. When we leave one life stage and enter another, there are always role adjustments. In the new role, the expectations may be inflated, imposed or unrealistic. The loss of the previous role may create emotional distress. Working through that distress until the new role "fits" is critical. And perhaps most importantly the time required can vary a great deal, depending on the individual.

Establishing A New Identity:  This can take a fair bit of time, depending on the amount of "reinvention" that's required. So much of our identity is defined by how we earn a living. Trying out new roles on a small scale, e.g. taking a part-time job in the field, or volunteering can allow one to adjust to the new identity.  Changing work identity involves learning to think about oneself differently. In my own journey, after launching a private practice in career counselling, it took me nearly five years to refer to myself as a psychotherapist.  

Building New Relationships:  Leaving old friends/colleagues behind and joining a new group can be a difficult adjustment.  Entering college or university is one example. Changing occupational fields is another, or getting married and moving to a new community, city or country. Adjusting to retirement can be highly distressing for some people.  Any of these changes may involve the loss of some relationships and require the building and maintaining of new ones.The mental and social toll can be significant depending on your personality and the support systems you have in place. 

In my own career journey, one of the most difficult transitions I experienced was from my first career in the secretarial field to that of full-time wife and parent. The ending of the paid work role was not difficult, as the planned birth of our first child totally trumped my previous career choice!  All my life I had imagined the joy of becoming a parent and that part definitely did not disappoint me. What I could not have known was the reality of how much the homemaking role is under valued in our culture. Nor could I have ever imagined the negative impact on my psychological health of being in a role without value: strong feelings of being invisible and worthless as a "stay at home mom."  

I invite you to make a list of the number of career transitions you've had in your life thus far. Use some of the questions in this article as the basis for your self-assessment and reflection. 

Consider this tiny piece of wisdom – ask for and accept the support you need to help you move forward.  Career transitions are so much better when they're not navigated alone.

Take good care of yourself,

           Kathleen                     

www.kathleenjohnston.com 

Career Strategist

780-752-4015

My Career Journey: To The Edge of Burnout

by admin | May 13, 2017 | Uncategorized

This article is a personal reflection on my career journey that I hope will inspire others to know their truth.

I'm very aware of having been driven by a sense of inadequacy, more than any other factor, throughout the whole of my adult life. My parents were born in 1903, old enough to be my grandparents when I was born. Their values and belief systems were a reflection of the current times and of a traditional farm family where men were valued more than women, due in part to their ability to contribute as a physical labourer. My parents had four sons for which my father was very proud. They also had four daughters but they were not esteemed in the same way.

Women’s work—child-rearing, gardening, canning, cooking, cleaning, and general household management was necessary, but not valued nearly as much as men’s work. Because I am a woman of that time and context, I've overcompensated for this innate sense of inferiority by adhering to a ridiculous work ethic my whole life, trying in vain to prove my worth.

My parents valued intellect and educational achievement regardless of gender, encouraging all of us to graduate from high school – the norm for the time. My brothers were expected to be able to earn a decent living; one that could support a wife and family. The girls were expected to marry well—preferably “a good provider," in my mother’s words.

There was little expectation that any of the daughters would have any job role other than that of unpaid wife and mother. I had dreams of attending university but  there was no money to support post-secondary education and student loans didn’t exist. I also suspect, that in my parents’ hearts, it would have been deemed a waste to educate a woman.

So I was sent off to Alberta to live with my older sister and her family and take a secretarial course. My mother thought that would help me get a job and then I could work until I "got married and had a family."  My younger sister went to nursing school, which involved minimal cost; and room and board were provided. I’ve always thought she was so fortunate to have been able to do that.

I dutifully followed my mother’s advice; finished secretarial training, got a job, found myself a responsible man, got married and had two kids (sons of course).  And just like thousands of other women of my time, I became a "stay at home" mom.

Then a shocking thing happened to me shortly after the birth of my second son. I discovered the unpaid duties of being a wife and mother were not enough to keep my drive for achievement at bay. I had an enormous yearning for something else, but suffered in silence with a rather strange and unspeakable sense of dissatisfaction.

The suffering included considerable guilt because my husband provided well, I had a lovely home and two healthy sons. The roles of wife and mother were supposed to be the ultimate fulfillment for a woman—the fact that they were not, surely meant there had to be something wrong with me! 

It would take a serious downward spiral into depression, entry into a feminist network, and several years of consciousness-raising, before I would understand what Betty Friedan, in the 1960’s called, the “problem that has no name.”

The journey of becoming Superwoman had commenced!  This was the early 1970’s; my children were toddlers, and the women’s movement was well underway.

After five and a half years of juggling full-time mothering, household management, community volunteering and by this time, the supervision of 20 part-time staff in a paid part-time job at the YWCA, I decided to take a break.

The truth was that the YW work was not going to move me toward my dream. What I really wanted to do was complete a university degree. I was determined to prove that I was a woman with intelligence, skills, and abilities; more than “just a housewife” or “just a secretary.”

For as long as I could remember I had wanted to have a job that in my mind was “professional.” I dreamed of doing some kind of work that helped people in some unknown but profound way. It was a dream that I kept tucked away in my mind and it would take many years to become a reality.

In the spring of 1981, we moved to Edmonton. The possibility of attending university began to emerge. My children were in school all day. We lived just south of the university. I applied to the University of Alberta based on my high school marks that were now twenty years old and was accepted. I was thrilled. I started by taking one course in English, and then gradually became confident enough to take three courses each semester.

I was fortunate that my course schedule allowed me to be home when my kids got home from school. The unhealthy guilt so often connected to the role of mothering was also a driver for me. My sons were aged 12 and 10 when I started. It took me 5 ½ years to complete a four-year degree.

After graduation, I secured a job as a Program Director with the YMCA of Edmonton. The culture of the ‘Y’ provided a nurturing environment for someone like me, looking for every opportunity to prove my competence.

The YMCA is a male-dominated hierarchical, competitive environment. My farm family background had taught me how to work at a self-sacrificial level, take on any challenge, and never, ever complain. 

After one year, I was offered the position of Centre Manager. It was to fill a maternity leave for four months. When I inquired about who would take my program director position, I was assured by the CEO that I could manage both jobs. And I did just that.

The next promotion was to General Manager, with responsibility for the strategic positioning of the YMCA’s employment and education services for at-risk youth and their families. This was followed by a promotion to Vice-President, adding the association’s childcare operations to my  portfolio.  

I became an expert on employment and education programming for at risk populations within the YMCA national movement. The opportunities were everywhere – completely hooking my drive for proving my self-worth. When I started with the ‘Y’ we were offering five programs for the unemployed, serving about 500 yearly; when I left 13 years later, we were serving nearly 8,000 people a year.

I will never regret the time I spent with the organization—it was an amazing experience. However, when I look back at being immersed in the ‘Y’ culture, whose foundation and history is hard work and community service—I realize how out of touch I had become with any sense of balance in my life.

My paid work had become my only definition for myself.  My need to achieve, to be seen as competent, to feel worthwhile as a human being, had driven me to the edge of burnout.

I had totally immersed myself in an environment that thrived on my becoming a workaholic. It was as though I had given up my soul for the prestige of being part of a system with good work that never ends.

It was an enormously difficult decision, but I chose to leave my paid work role to become a full time student. I embarked on a completely new career adventure in pursuit of my dream.

I believe meaningful work plays a significant role in our lives. It's been described as a basic human need and that it must be “understood as an end in itself and not just as a means to get something else” (Soelle & Cloyes).

In my desperate need to eliminate feelings of inadequacy, I had used “work” as my only means for self-identity and self-worth. I realize now from my achievement pursuits that being able to do good work, to make a contribution, and to have a sense of purpose, will always be essential ingredients for my overall sense of well being.

I’ve also learned that what I accomplish cannot only be measured externally. An internal measure for what's really important comes from trusting my inner wisdom; my own feminine truth. Stability, wellness and a balanced feeling comes when individuals stay connected to their inner knowing—integrating their values, beliefs, attitudes and behavior consciously and deliberately into all facets of their lives.  

My personal journey stimulates a vision for all women – that they have every opportunity to live and work to their fullest potential and never at the expense of their health.

                Take good care of yourself,

                                Kathleen

Strategic Career Management

by admin | Sep 17, 2013 | Uncategorized

"We are best motivated for work not by being pushed into it or by outside compensation but by inner desire." Matthew Fox, author of The Reinvention of Work.  

To be dynamic means to be characterized by continuous change or vigorous activity, high effectiveness, and having energy or force. In the 21st century managing your career as a dynamic process is essential for success and fulfillment.
 
In today's work world it's becoming less and less likely for anyone to expect to launch a career with one organization, to count on being there for many years, and to experience continuous advancement through the ranks to a leadership role.
 
Current career statistics indicate that the average person will change his/her career 5 to 7 times in a lifetime. Furthermore, as the technological era continues to create a vast variety of career choices, predictions are that about 1/3 of the total workforce could change jobs every year.
 
Employees, particularly younger generations, no longer expect nor want to work for one employer for years. What they do expect is the opportunity for learning and development, challenging work with ongoing skill acquisition and good leadership. When these things are not forthcoming they are apt to move on. Research tells us the main reasons people choose to leave a job are 1) they don't like their supervisor, 2) they no longer like or enjoy the work, and 3) there's limited opportunity for career growth.
 
The new reality of constant change in the world of work can create excitement for people who crave action and variety, or considerable angst for those who need more certainty and predictability in their lives. Regardless of these preferences, and based on the reality that change is part of life's process, it can be a significant advantage to learn how to strategically manage your career path.
 
The following diagram shows the strategic nature of career planning for 21st century careers. All factors must be considered and monitored in order to support consistentcareer satisfaction and well-being. Understanding oneself, the world of work and the various outside influences contributes to the steps identified in the outer circle which represents a process that can be repeated as one moves through life transtitions or stages.    

The ultimate goal is to be able to look back on a life well lived and a career that allowed one to make a contribution through truly meaningful work.
 
             Take good care of yourself,
                             Kathleen

Personality: The Secret to Career Satisfaction

by admin | Jun 26, 2013 | Uncategorized

"Our lives are shaped as profoundly by personality as by gender or race."
Susan Cain author of Quiet

The persistent fact that 60% of people are dissatisfied with their job has several contributing factors, with the most significant a poor fit between occupational choice and personality. In the book Do What You Are, the authors tell us that the right job becomes personally fulfilling when it nourishes the most important aspects of our personality.

Knowing our natural abilities, motivators, interests and values has long been an important consideration related to career choice. On the other hand taking the time to assess and fully understand how personality might impact our career can feel a little self indulgent. But when we find ourselves facing a significant career dilemma, with few ideas for how to resolve it, understanding our personality preferences is a great place to start.

Most of us probably began our career journeys with little thought given to personal traits or what might bring us joy as unique individuals. Initial career choices are often made based on the subjects we find easiest in school, what our parents or others think is best for us, or the pressure to become financially self-sufficient as fast as possible. In fact working at an "okay job" for a period of time can be an effective way to become oriented to the world of work.

But to achieve real and lasting career satisfaction individuals first need to thoroughly understand personal preferences and then determine the kind of work that would be most meaningful.

Here's what we need to know about our personality to improve our career choice,and to find a work environment in which we are more likely to thrive.

* our energy orientation – what drains or invigorates us
* how we gather and process information
* how we prefer to make decisions
* how we form conclusions
* how we respond to, mitigate and manage stress
* how we take action
* how we adapt to change
* how we manage conflict
* our personal sensitivity levels

When the above items are understood and accepted, you can then intentionally create strategies for managing the people and the situations you encounter in your daily life and work. The result can be a marked increase in your career success and satisfaction.

There are several excellent personality tools available. The Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) is regarded as a leading assessment for career planning. One source for the MBTI is the Kiersey Temperament Sorter-II available online – simply google the name. The initial assessment is free and provides you with your MBTI 4-letter type.  

Work is far more likely to feel satisfying when we acknowledge and apply our personality preferences. 

Take good care of yourself,

            Kathleen

Women & Guilt

by admin | Mar 17, 2013 | Uncategorized

"She felt that old generic guilt, the kind you feel even when you can't think of what in the world you are supposed to have done." Meg Wolitzer

Guilt is the experience of a person thinking or feeling that she has done somethingshe should not have, or has not done something she should have. Either way,the person experiencing this emotion takes responsibility for the circumstance.

Guilt can be healthy, for example, when we feel bad afer behaving inappropriately or dishonestly. This healthy guilt can increase self-awareness, teach an important lesson, or help resolve problems. It can even improve our personal leadership skills and our relationships, and can thus be an advantage from a career perspective.

On the other hand, when a person expects the impossible of herself, or is constantly devalued and feels flawed or unworthy, the result is unhealthy guilt. Unhealthy guilt may be expressed in behaviours like taking on more than one can reasonably accomplish, being a compulsive helper, continually apologizing for oneself, being reluctant to say "No," or struggling to ask for help.

Women tend to experience guilty feelings more than men, partly due to the fact that women are unlike men emotionally. Some people believe that women's brains are wired differently, as they tend to be more highly sensitized to emotions. This can lead to a stronger reaction, perhaps to an overfunctioning response to situations that are emotionally charged. Another reason women may feel guilt more readily is because they have been socialized to see to the needs of others first and, as part of that reality, to unconsciously accept responsibility for situations that may not always be within their control.

Unhealthy guilt is an emotional response and therefore does not respond well to reason. Left untended, it contributes to anxiety, depression, stress overload, and in the extreme can lead to burnout. From a psychological perspective, extreme guilt may be connected to an unhealthy ego and low self-esteem, both of which can be enhanced through supportive therapy. Other interventions include identifying the top priorities in your current life stage and creating a personal system for dictating what you will and won't do, based on your priorities. This system can be evaluated in six month time frames, creating reasonable structure and a sense of control.

Woman blamed for the fall of mankind in the story of Adam and Eve was the beginning of the female gender being held accountable for the behavior of others. In her book Women's Reality, Anne Wilson Schaef calls this "the sin of being born female," and makes the case for the many ways in which women continue to pay the price for this perhaps unconscious, but deeply held belief continuing to exist in today's modern world.

As women, we must consciously and with intention, work hard to free ourselves from unhealthy guilt. This begins as we use our feminine wisdom to recognize whenever it is being imposed and whenever we are accepting it as part of being female. In either case, we can exercise the power to believe in our own sacred truth and through that truth choose our response.

Take good care of yourself,

Kathleen