Facing a Career Crossroads

Click to Listen

Sooner or later we all face some type of career transition – whether if we’re looking to land a job or switch careers. Below you’ll find a summary of the MoneyLife career podcast that aired on October 30, 2008.

Facing a Career Crossroads MoneyLife Radio Career Podcast

Today’s program begins with Chuck comparing the current economic crisis to wildfires in California. At some point, people will say the bailout plan and other emergency action taken by our leaders have contained this financial crisis.

Chuck says he thinks that’s premature. The crisis isn’t really over because there’s still a risk of more problems. We would be foolish to go back to living as we did before this crisis, spending like there’s no tomorrow, no day of reckoning.

Chuck says he believes God was trying to wake us up and teach us some lessons through this experience. The main lesson is that we must put our trust and hope in the Lord and live by His financial principles instead of the ways of the world.

How to Face a Career Crossroad
After the break, Chuck welcomes Brian Ray back on to the program to talk about steps to take when you’re at a career crossroads. Brian is the Founder of Crossroads Career Network and a long time friend of Crown Financial Ministries. Brian was on the program Wednesday and Thursday of last week to talk about the current job market and employment prospects during a slowing economy.

Today, Brian gives advice on what to do when you find yourself at a career crossroads. It can be a difficult time or a fulfilling one, with many questions about the meaning and purpose of your work.

If you’re thinking about doing something else; if there’s something you don’t like about your current job, you’re at a career crossroads. Seniors can reach a career crossroads at retirement, because half decide to still work. That number is expected to increase because of financial needs.

Brian challenges listeners to stand, look, ask, walk at the crossroads. How to know if you’re misemployed, in the wrong job or not being the right person? Do you have a negative feeling about your job, or dread Mondays?

If you think you’re misemployed, check your attitude, aptitude (abilities), and altitude (in the right job in your company/organization).

The answer could be to change your attitude, obtaining additional skills, or moving to another job. Be honest with yourself about what you think and feel about your job (acceptance). Resolve any feelings of anger through forgiveness (freedom).

Jeremiah 6:16 says “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’ But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.”

After forgiveness, you can start looking ahead to the thing you’d like to do that would be important to you and valuable to others. Fear and doubt usually surface then. You must conquer fear of the future.

The key is loving others, which takes the focus off of you. Every person is uniquely created by God. The better you understand your design, easier it is to use what He’s given you.

Aptitude has five factors:

1. Experience
2. Abilities
3. Interests
4. Personality
5. Values

When you know what’s important to you, what you’re passionate about, what your gifts are, and how they can be used to help other people, you have direction. A key asset in this process is Career Direct.

Altitude
Altitude is about focusing on the marketplace, the occupations, industries, locations, salaries, culture, employers and employees.

Decide on your target and stay current with the marketplace, determine where jobs are located. For help, see Yahoo Business and and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you determine you’re at a career crossroads and need to change jobs, you’re ready to start pursuing it.

Here are the 3 steps involved in pursuing a new job:

1. Searching (finding opportunities)
2. Sorting (interviewing/evaluating companies/organization)
3. Selecting (the one God wants you to be in)

During the process, you often learn things about yourself or the marketplace that cause you to make some adjustments and start the process over.

In the final segment, Brian Ray tells listeners that 85% of jobs openings are filled through networking. A personal referral greatly increases your chances of getting a particular job.

Networking Tips
Here’s how to network:

1. Make a list of everyone you know
2. C contact them and share the job you’re looking for, what company, what location
3. Ask each contact to refer you to one more person
4. Always thank the people you’re working with
5. Be ready to help others

Chuck tells listeners he’s praying that people at career crossroads will follow these steps and that God will put them in the place they can live out their life purpose.