If my career is a journey, then I’ve filled my first passport with stamps and I’m working through book number two (or possibly three). I refer to myself as a Renaissance Woman because of my widely varied interests and the expertise I’ve gained from working in many industries and disciplines (not to mention all over the United States).
Even as a undergraduate, I knew I would need to relocate multiple times during my broadcast journalism/meteorology career. In the TV News industry, you start at a small station, then work your way up to bigger stations in different cities as you gain expertise and aim for more prestigious titles like chief meteorologist or anchor. And a few lucky people reach that goal and stay through the rest of their career.
But those jobs are few and far between and even some who have achieved them are left wondering, “what’s next?”
There is a legitimate fear. Whether you’re someone whose spent their entire career in TV news, or a researcher in higher education, or a team member in the development office at a museum, you worry that you might not make it outside of the career you’ve specialized in, especially in a competitive job market. You worry that if you DO find something new, it will leave you feeling unfulfilled (full disclosure, I’ve definitely experienced this).
The key is to go back to framing your career as a journey—one of exploration and learning—where you don’t need a final destination in mind.
As my good friend (and fellow Renaissance Woman) Nancy Scales-Coddington recently said:
Your next job isn’t your last and if it doesn’t work out, you can always course correct. You gather valuable information or skills with every opportunity you say yes too. Don’t be afraid to say yes because you will be stuck in potentially something you might not like.
So seek out the next stamp in your career passport and while you’re there, you can:
- Explore new customs and cultures
- Meet the locals and expand your network of colleagues and collaborators
- Gather some cool souvenirs
- Go on some grand adventures and have powerful stories to tell
- Learn to use new tools to pack in your metaphorical luggage (much more on that in future newsletters)
If these topics interest you, check out my free newsletter, “Take it With You” and my career coaching services.
