Finding Your Authentic Path: Exploring Non-Traditional Paths By Relocating Or Redefining Your Career
Throughout this series of Finding Your Authentic Path, we’ve discussed the discovery phase, personal branding, and how to embrace and embody change. Taking action may involve several weeks or months at each stage in the process.
So you’ve made your to-do list and you’ve realized a big change is ahead.
Change is personal. Here are the directions I see people choose most often and we create successful coaching strategies for:
- Transitioning from corporate employment to self-employment
- Making a career pivot
- Stepping back from entrepreneurial pursuits to find more stability working for others
- Pressing pause with a sabbatical
- Exploring a relocation
- Or maybe a mix of the above (WHEW!)
The key is exploring and understanding what is right for YOU and your goals.
Understand that there will be new insights, challenges, and opportunities that come with a big change regardless of what you decide to do.
You don’t have to navigate change by yourself! As we say at Allora, ‘Big change requires big risk but you don’t have to do it alone!’
Self-care plus building up or relying on your support system will make a big difference in your confidence and your ability to visualize then create what you need for this step. In addition to your community, there’s never been more resources available to you than now – from job seeker Linkedin groups, in-person networking events, Reddit and Slack communities, tools and technology to stay organized, and of course career coaches who are available to champion you through the process with personalized support.
Your career path might not look like your peers, in fact it likely won’t. Each person is special, learns differently, finds inspiration and motivation in their own way and wants a balance in life that meets their own needs. Your values, goals, well-being and confidence matter and you deserve to find a path that is the best for you.
Keep in mind, how we work and the skills in demand are shifting rapidly and with that comes many options for your non-traditional paths. Your future role may not even exist yet! There are new roles evolving as the job market changes, technology shifts and priorities change (remote work is a great example of a priority for talent that has forced companies to make significant changes). Having a team of partners to share ideas or strategies with and create plans to bring those ideas to life throughout this process can make staying the course even easier.
On top of role specific changes, your location and environment could be included in that change. The path ahead might involve a relocation too for a number of reasons from financial to opportunity to wanting a new environment at this time in your life. Our network of coaches in the United States and Europe includes remote workers and digital nomads, expats, and individuals who have navigated multiple local, regional, and international moves.
Identify your non-negotiables:
Logistics and limits
- How much money do you need to make to pay for your / your family’s expenses?
- If you live in the US do you need company-sponsored healthcare and benefits or will you live in a country that provides government-sponsored healthcare?
- Are you willing to live far away from friends and family? Do you have a plan for building community in your new location?
- Do you need a car or will you rely on public transportation?
These are just a few questions to ask yourself. Coach Isabel’s recent blog Embracing The Freedom Of Becoming A Digital Nomad may be a great place to start if you’re curious about relocation research.
After aligning on your goals and needs – it’s time to start taking action.
If you’ve taken control and are making the change you want, Congratulations! We’d love to learn about your path, leave a comment and tell us about it or share some advice for others and become part of our collective.
If you’ve taken control and are making the change you want, Congratulations! We’d love to learn about your path, leave a comment and tell us about it or share some advice for others and become part of our collective.
If you’re ready to explore your options, create your plan of action or need help moving forward our team is available for you.
We personalize our coaching plans to guide you in the areas that are connected to you. We’ll boost your confidence to tackle each of your goals, one to-do at a time. Interested in learning more?
We offer a free strategy session with the coach of your choice and we’re here to help you. We’ve made it happen for ourselves and countless others, we’ll make it happen for you too.
Chez Jennings
Chez helps people level up their careers in tech. She is passionate about helping people find opportunities for career advancement and accelerating their career development. As an inclusive coach, she helps people explore the career paths where they belong and she strengthens the voice of her community. She has worked with talent from early careers to leadership hiring in the US and Canada.
