“I wanna hold your hand…”
by Angela Loëb
To optimize a client’s investment, I give homework during personal consultation sessions. So when a client comes to me for my expertise, he or she will definitely walk away with some action steps to create forward momentum.
However, sometimes I work with clients who get stuck. They have trouble getting their homework done. This can happen with folks who are doing a straightforward job search, but, more commonly, the stuck clients are the ones trying to change careers.
Why does this happen?
For some the fear of change creeps back in and thwarts them into procrastination mode. For others life gets busy, and it’s just too hard to manage time. Still others fall in the trap of thinking they should be able to this on their own. They put it off because it’s hard, all the while scratching their head and wondering why, if they’re so smart, can’t they figure it out.
If it were easy, everyone would do it, and we wouldn’t have surveys telling us that more than half of the US workforce is dissatisfied with their jobs. Let’s face it, sometimes you need someone to hold your hand and walk the path with you so you can get moving again.
I wanna hold your hand…
That’s where I come in – the coach/consultant. I offer my hand to hold.
For example, there’s a worksheet I’ve compiled from exercises in my book. Sometimes I give this as homework. Recently, during one of our sessions, a client told me that she would prefer not to do this as homework. She told me that she preferred me to “hold her hand” through the exercises. She admitted that she would probably not make the time to do it on her own. No problem – this is what I do. And since I’m an experienced interviewer, I basically walked her through the exercises, taking notes like an interviewer would. In the end, it was actually more helpful to her to “talk” it out rather than write it out. She got more out of the exercise.
I never want to insult someone by assuming that they want me to hold their hand, but if that’s what it takes and that’s what the client wants, then that’s definitely okay with me. I meet the client where the client is.
You don’t have to go it alone!
Career transition, especially if it involves changing careers, can be scary, time consuming and daunting at times. Change is hard for almost everyone, so this is very normal. That’s what having support is all about… to help push you through such things. You don’t have to go it alone. Get some hands-on help. Then keep going ‘til you find the work you love. When you wake up crazy excited about your day, you’ll know it was all worth it!
Angela Loëb is an author, speaker and co-owner of Great Occupations. She and her partner, Jay Markunas, help people make successful career transitions through workshops, “pajama learning” webclasses, personalized consulting sessions, as well as through The Job Search Boot Camp Show. Find out more at www.greatoccupations.com.
Attention Career Changers: Check out our upcoming workshop, “Destination: New Career!” coming up on October 23rd at www.greatoccupations.com/destination-new-career/