Transition Dynamics

Discouraged Employees, Overwhelmed Entrepreneurs, and Those Ready for Something New:

  Are You Frustrated with Your Work Situation?  

Feeling Bored? Unfulfilled? Underutilized?

From: Carol McClelland, PhD

Author of Your Dream Career For Dummies

Creator of the Career Clarity Program

Happy to get back into the swing of things…
Or depressed to be heading back to the same old job?

Excited to start working on your new project…
Or frustrated that you have to work on the same boring tasks you’ve been doing for a while?

Anticipating your next career move…
Or feeling stuck, with no way out?

Grateful that your work supports you in living the life you want…
Or drained because your work keeps you from fully enjoying your life?

Fulfilled because you use your skills and interests in your work…
Or discouraged because your job doesn’t tap your favorite skills.

If you are frustrated with your work situation, you are not alone. Nearly 60% of all employees feel dissatisfied or unengaged at work.

I know how you feel. In 1990, I was in your shoes. In the three years I’d been in my job, my workload had increased exponentially. I was utterly exhausted and I couldn’t find any way out.

By all appearances I had a “good” job, with a secure paycheck and good benefits. And yet, my body rebelled every time I started out the door for work. Some days, to release my frustration, I’d scream at the top of my lungs as I drove to work. Other days I was so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open at work.

Just because you have a “good” job, doesn’t mean it’s a good job for you. If you are living any of the following scenarios, your work probably isn’t a good fit for you either.

• Are you constantly frustrated about your work?
• Are you obsessing about what to do next?
• Do you have to drag yourself into work each morning?

What toll is your job taking on your life? How is your dissatisfaction at work impacting your self-esteem, your personal life, your relationships, and your health?

I know from personal experience what a toll a dissatisfying, frustrating job can have.

Right out of graduate school, I worked as an internal Human Resource Research Consultant for a Fortune 500 insurance company. Four months into this, my first "real" job, my father died. Through a fog of grief, I worked on a number of projects in the area of corporate transitions and reorganizations.

After about 3 years I began to feel the effects of intense burnout. At 29 years old, I was so fatigued a ten-minute walk put me in bed for three or four hours at a time. Finally it dawned on me - the job was a good job, it just wasn't a good job for me. My health was suffering, I had no social life to speak of, and I felt miserable.

After sixteen months of dreaming, thinking, planning, and saving for my career change, I left that job on June 3, 1991 to start my own business supporting others whose lives were turned upside down by a major life transition.

Having been through the process myself, I know that just the idea of changing careers can be daunting. If you’ve read this far, it’s likely have you a lot of questions swirling around in your mind as you try to find a way out of the job you have and into a career you love.

Don’t let your current confusion stop you. Stick to your dream of having work you enjoy and a life you love. It is possible! There is hope.

Remember: Just because other people are stuck in jobs that make them unhappy doesn’t mean you have to settle for that life! The cost of being in a job you dislike is too high! Things can be different. The first step is to make the choice to create something different for yourself.

Consider this:

• A lot of people are frustrated with their work.
  • Some portion of these people will decide they need to change what they do.
    • Of these people, some will move on to something, anything but what they’ve been doing.
    • Others will lose momentum and just give up, staying right where they are—feeling frustrated, depressed, and hopeless.
    • And some will identify the work they’d love to do and take the steps to make it a reality in their lives.

The Question Is: Are You Ready to
Find a Career You Love?

Imagine waking up:

• Two weeks from now -- with more confidence about who you are
• Six weeks from now -- excited about the new direction that’s unfolding
• Three months from now – ready to implement the first steps of your plan to transform your career
• Six months to one year from now -- fully engaged in your plan
• Five years from now -- congratulating yourself for how far you’ve come

Imagine walking out the door of your current job…for the last time! Feel the burst of fresh air as you open the doors to let yourself out. Breathe in your freedom. Enjoy it! Keep this feeling close as you embark on a journey to find your dream career.

To this day I still remember walking out of my corporate job for the very last time! Oh what a feeling! In fact, I’ve celebrated my Freedom Day every year since and will continue to do so for years to come!

Imagine…

• Feeling fulfilled, excited, and engaged at work.
• Having a career that allows you to use your talents and passions in a way that brings positive results to your local community or the world.
• Being in a career that encourages you to express who you are and supports you in living the life you want.

Although you may find it hard to believe that you’ll ever find your dream career, creative options are out there—even if you can’t see them at the moment. Since starting my business in 1991, I’ve helped thousands of people from all walks of life change careers.

Most of the people I’ve worked with over the years start the process by wrestling with several fundamental questions. Do any of these questions sound familiar to you?

“What am I going to do?”

“What am I passionate about?”

“How will I make my move?”

“How will I know that I’ve made a good decision?”

The reason so few people discover work they love, is that they don’t know how to go about it. They don’t have a strategy. They don’t know what steps to take. They don’t know what questions to ask themselves to discover what they love.

Instead they take a trial and error approach--jumping from one career idea to the next without any plan. By the time we talk, they are often frustrated and torn between giving up and settling for what they have and wondering what to do with their inner yearning for fulfilling, meaningful work.

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So What’s the Answer?
Find a Guide to Show You the Way

The most effective way to shed new light on your career situation is to look outside yourself for new ideas, perspectives, and direction. Having a guide to show you the way—one who knows the territory, warns you about the pitfalls and points out the time saving shortcuts—is a valuable resource.

This guide asks you questions you’ve never thought to ask yourself and helps you see the inconsistencies and gaps in your thinking that have kept you stuck. This guide also helps you find the right balance between your creative ideas and your practical realities so that you can identify several viable career options that fit your needs.

The Career Clarity Program is just this kind of guide. It lays out the steps you need to take and the questions you need to ask yourself to discover the career you are searching for. Whether you work through this clear, easy-to-use 8-Step Program on your own or with the support of a Career Clarity Coach, you end up with a clear picture of a career that incorporates your passions, skills and interests and fits your lifestyle.

How Does the Career Clarity Program Work?

Creating a career that truly works for you is much like building your dream house. The more thought you put into your needs and your initial design, the more satisfying and fulfilling the end result.

The Career Clarity Program consists of the eight steps described below. Skipping any of these steps can derail your quest and delay your success.

Please Note: If you have gained insights on some of these issues through other personal work you’ve previously done, you may confirm information you know, gain new insights, update your pictures, or find new directions you haven’t considered before. The program can be customized to take prior work and insights into account. If you are able to confirm information you already know, you can move through the related steps rather quickly.

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How Does the Career Clarity Program Differ From Other Career Programs?

The Career Clarity Program is based on the premise that your best career is the one that combines who you are, what you do, and how you want to live and work.

"Going through the Career Clarity Program with Carol has been such a joy and an eye-opening experience. She understands that my career is not in its own little compartment; rather it's entwined with my whole being. This process has revealed so much more than what career best fits me. It's given me a clearer sense of who I am and who I'm striving to become. Thank you for your refreshingly positive perspective and support!" Mary Lee Client of Carol Satterlee, Certified Career Clarity Coach

Many career change programs focus on what you want to DO and then find you a career that encompasses your skills and interests.

Although your passions and interests have a key role in the Career Clarity Program, I’ve found that the foundation of your next career is built on two key pieces of information:

What is your unique style, your true nature? Who are you when left to your own devices—without the boss, a company, your parents, or your spouse looking over your shoulder?

How do you want to live your life? How do you define success? What’s important to you besides work and money?

Although these questions don’t appear to be work related, they provide crucial clues that help us discover or create a career that suits you and allows you to live life fully. Without this information you run the risk of creating a career that is professionally fulfilling and personally devastating. In the final analysis, that isn’t a dream career…it’s a nightmare!

Many career change programs depend on assessments to determine your values, your interests, and your personality.

Although such assessments can provide useful data, the results often feel abstract and vague. They may tell you what you already know, give you an answer that feels totally unworkable, or provide you with a wonderful clue that’s not connected to anything else.

In my work with clients craving a career change, I’ve found the most valuable information surfaces when I ask you questions you have never thought to ask yourself. Understanding how you see yourself, your current situation, and your future opportunities help you discover where you are getting stuck, what you long for, and what you are afraid to dream about.

The Career Clarity Program is full of time-tested questions I’ve used with clients just like you for over thirteen years. Sometimes one question opens the path to new possibilities. Other times a subtle pattern develops over several sessions. Sometimes the answers unfold so seamlessly the client and I both look back and wonder why we didn’t see the career direction from the beginning. I trust the answers are within you—the coach’s job and the goal of the Career Clarity Program are to help you bring forth the answers you haven’t accessed before.

Many career centers work off the premise that your best next step is a logical progression from your previous work experience.

I believe your best next step is the one that allows you to step beyond the shoulds and ought tos that have limited your possibilities; the one that allows you to express yourself and your passions on a daily basis; the one that allows you to focus on what you value.

Sometimes that next step is a logical step, sometimes it’s an intuitive step. Sometimes it’s an incremental change that puts you in a good position for a future move. We don’t have a preconceived notion of where you’ll end up. You may find another job, return to school for more training, start your own business, or create a unique combination of opportunities that fits your situation to a “T.”

Some career experts claim this economy is not the best time to change careers. Some will even counsel you against making a change.

I believe opportunities exist—sometimes in the least likely moments and places. The key, especially during this economy, is to have a plan in place. Creating a plan that's grounded in where you want to go allows you to strategically gain relevant experience, build a new network of contacts, and take advantage of related training opportunities while you are working your current job.

As you step into new experiences with clarity and confidence you may be surprised how quickly opportunities fall into place. With your prior planning, you'll see opportunties when they present themselves and you'll be able to position yourself to make the move when it's time.

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Career Clarity Successes

Here’s a snapshot of some of the results Career Clarity Clients have achieved.

I offer these examples to show you how much people's careers can shift as a result of participating in this program. Even if you aren't interested in taking leaps as big as these, know that this program is just as helpful to someone who wants to remodel their current career as build a new one from scratch.

The key is that each of these people left a position where they felt very unhappy and found a new career that expresses who they are and applies their unique combination of talents.

Because I’ve been working with Career Clarity Clients since 1993, I have some testimonials from people whose journeys have unfolded over a number of years. Here are a few examples.

 

“After graduating from college I had a career path in mind, but when I started down that road, I found it just wasn't what I expected. Before I got comfortable I knew I needed to make a change. To make a positive change, I knew I was going to need support. The Career Clarity Program helped me look inside and unearth my true interests, not just the desires my family and friends had for me. Carol asked the tough questions that I was unwilling to ask myself, and she asked the easy questions that prompted answers that weren't always so obvious to me. During the program I worked for a less than desirable firm. My visits with Carol helped me remain positive. She saw me through all the hard times. I have decided to go back to school to pursue the field of interior design. I would never have had the strength to discover this aspiration if it were not for Carol and her Career Clarity Program. I cannot thank her enough.” Emily Cheffy Palo Alto, California

"First of all, thank you so much. I can't believe how my life has changed for the better since we worked together. Back then I worked for the ambulance company, then I shifted my priorities toward completing my education. Although I still work in the health field part-time, my real passion is archaeology. I recently graduated with a BA from Cal State Monterey Bay. Then I worked in Santa Fe for the summer on an excavation with the Museum of Natural History in New York. It was an outstanding opportunity and so exciting. My next step is to earn my Masters degree, and relocate to work in the Santa Fe/Albuquerque area. I am so glad I acted when my friend gave me your name. I'm not stuck anymore, and it feels great!" Renee Cannon, Monterey County, CA…now Santa Fe (Since Renee wrote this testimonial, she has completed her Masters degree, relocated to Santa Fe, and is working in a museum in the area.)

 

Five Results You Can Expect with the Career Clarity Program

The Career Clarity Program provides you with five distinct results:

The activities that make up the Career Clarity Program help you understand what truly works for you in your life and your work. Your new level of clarity enhances your sense of confidence in all areas of your life. You can feel this new level of clarity begin to blossom as early as Step 1.

"By working with Sharon, and the Career Clarity Program, I have been able to identify my values, dream lifestyle, and requirements for the job I desire. Through interesting and enjoyable on-line exercises and with face-to-face discussions, we have zeroed in on my passions and skills, to pinpoint my ideal job. Carol McClelland has laid out a very thorough plan to find the work I will love." C. McElroy Client of Sharon Kurtz, Certified Career Clarity Coach


 

Half way through the program you identify two or three viable career ideas you are excited to explore and research. These ideas may be traditional career choices or out-of-the-box options that weave your passions, interests, and personal needs together in ways that truly suit you.

Just having the clarity to know how to focus your time and energy has great rewards. You no longer feel as though you are spinning in circles. Instead of grasping at any opportunity that comes your way, you feel focused and motivated.
 

In the last phase of the program, you decide how to act on your favorite ideas. Your next step may be to:

• Improve your current job while you gain more experience in your chosen field.
• Go back to school to achieve your dream.
• Create a plan to implement your new career direction when your children change schools or leave home.
• Initiate a job search immediately.
• Set the wheels in motion to launch your own business.

At this moment you may or may not know the parameters that will guide you when it’s time to take action. You need not worry about how to make these decisions at this point. In fact, you can’t know how your career will unfold until your career direction comes into focus.
 

Your increased clarity enables you to act upon your target ideas with more ease and motivation than ever before. You are confident as you clearly articulate your interests and needs to others as you create your new work.

Please Note: If you come up with an idea that doesn’t quite work for you, it’s not the answer you are looking for! We use what isn’t right about the idea to find clues to help us discover the form that is right for you.

Your insights, new perspectives, and new ways of seeing your needs and desires stay with you and continue to guide your actions. Once you’ve used these methods to discover what you want, you can continue to use them whenever you feel it’s time to adjust or evolve your situation.

“I wonder if you remember our phone coaching back many years ago. I am amazed at how far I have come. Perhaps the facelessness of our time together made it feel less real, but now I see it was very real, and very important in my life. I can still remember some of the ground we covered together, and how it is now the foundation under my feet. Recently I learned that I'll be using my ocean sediment glazes to make twenty bowls for MIT's president to use as gifts when he travels. What a wonderful path it has been one step at a time." J.L. Woodshole, Massachusetts www.thesoftearth.com

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What Exactly Is the Career Clarity Program?

The Career Clarity Program is a multi-faceted resource that consists of the online Career Clarity Program, a copy of my book (Your Dream Career For Dummies), and a variety of support options including resources, links, teleclasses, networking opportunities, and support groups.

This combination of resources provides you with a comprehensive program that lays out the strategy and questions you need to follow to find your dream career:

1. Instructions and Activities to Find Your Dream Career:

While my book gives you an overview of the process for each step--complete with tips, warnings, and extra resources--the online program gives you a place to enter your answers into a format that can be easily updated and edited.

The worksheets themselves vary from checklists and short lists to more open ended questions that help you reflect on what you need and desire in your life and your work. You can customize the  program to reflect your style and needs by focusing in on critical issues and skipping sections that aren't relevant to you.

If you decide to work with a coach, the online nature of the program becomes a great time saver. Your coach can read over your responses prior to your session so your session time is spent taking things deeper rather than just reviewing the work you've done between sessions.

(For a full comparison of the book and the online program, see this chart.)

 

 

I enjoyed the opportunity to talk with others as I worked through the Career Clarity Program. It was great to know I am not alone in many of my feelings about work in general. It was also nice to be able to share my fears about changing careers and beginning something new. Anna Wright San Francisco Bay Area

2. Resources, Resources, and More Resources

Within the program you'll find a number of resources to help you on your way.

• Articles about how to make the most of the program and what to do when you feel stuck.
• Optional resources you can use to help you through specific situations you are facing.
• Links to help you in your career exploration and next steps.
• Networking opportunities to connect with Career Clarity Members and Career Clarity Coaches for informational interviews contacts, resources, and information.

3. Coaching Options for Every Budget Are Available

To support  you in achieving your dream of having a career and a life that you love, we've created several different coaching options--from full coaching to coaching on an as-needed basis.

Although you don't need to make a decision about coaching this minute (in fact, I recommend that you wait), there are a number of factors to keep in mind as you think about the coaching options.

• Your Personal Style - Are you good at self-paced projects or do you get better results when you have a coach or a support group keeping you focused and accountable?

 

• Your Past Experience with Finding Your Next Career - Have you been trying to figure out the riddle of your next career for a while? Or is this a new adventure? If you've been stuck in the past, I'd recommend getting the coaching support you need to break through to success this time around.

 

• Your Emotional State - Any career change involves a fairly thorough identity shift. If you've been thrown into this career change or you are having a difficult time handling the emotional aspects of the transition, I strongly recommend working with a coach so that you can work through the emotional elements and get beyond them.

 

• Your Desire to Move Forward - If you are anxious to discover your next career, I encourage you to work with a coach on a weekly or biweekly basis to keep your momentum going.

• Your Budget - My best advice is to sign up for as much coaching as you can afford--even if it's a stretch. Sure you could scrimp here...but all you are doing is lengthening the amount of time it will take you to find your dream career. When you think about it from a broader perspective, what better investment is there than contributing to your own physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being? In the short term, getting the support you need will get you back on stable ground more quickly than if you try to forge through the process on your own. In the long run, you and those you love will benefit from this investment because you will have more confidence and clarity about who you are and what you want in life.

Remember, you don't have to make any decisions about the coaching options right now. In fact, when you log into the program for the first time, we will ask you to provide us with some information about your situation so that we can match you with a Career Clarity Coach who will serve as your mentor while you are getting started.

In your complimentary orientation call, a Certified Career Clarity Coach will talk with you about your situation to give you some tips about making the most of the program. At that time you and the coach will talk about the various coaching options that are available---remember there's a coaching option for everyone. The coach you speak with will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the program. In addition, the coach will continue to be in touch with you periodically as you work through the program.

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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does the Career Clarity Program take?

Most clients complete the program in about 8 – 10 sessions. Those sessions tend to be spread out over two to three months. The first sessions usually take place once a week or once every other week. Then when you begin the exploration phase in Step 6, the schedule depends on how your investigation unfolds. In some cases you may need to wait until a networking meeting occurs or a conference happens.

If you are working through the program on your own, you should plan to take the same amount of time. Sure you could bolt through the materials in less time than that, but what would you have at the other end? The more time you invest in reflecting on the materials, the more insights and new ideas you'll have to build your new career.

2. What are the benefits of working with a Career Clarity Coach?

Any time we contemplate a career change we are limited in how we look at and think about the possibilities. Our prior work experience, our sense of ourselves, and how we grew up impact what we think is possible.

By working with a coach you get beyond your own beliefs to see opportunities and possibilities you couldn't have seen without outside insight. Career Clarity Coaches are trained to ask questions that get you to think about your situation from different perspectives. It's those questions that allow you to come to new levels of clarity, insight, and direction.

“My key turning point in the Career Clarity Program was getting my fears, values and preferences on the table. Articulating my fears (i.e., that a new career would mean costly, time-consuming study and less money) allowed me to examine their origin, challenge their veracity, determine how real they were as obstacles and finally overcome them. I have now said goodbye to my outdated views on jobs and careers and put my fears about career change into perspective, which has freed me to take on a new career with direction and confidence.” Vanessa – Client of Suzanne Kuntz, Certified Career Clarity Coach

I'm not suggesting you'd never have an insight on your own as a result of this program. What I am saying is that you are so close to your own mindset that you may not even know you are limiting your options. By working with a coach you increase the probability that you’ll break through old limits and you shorten your path to new insights.

If you do decide to work through the program in a self-guided manner, please know you will feel stuck at some point in the program. That’s actually great news because it lets you know you are close to a breakthrough. When you feel stuck, I encourage you to reach out for support from a coach.

3. I would like to work with a coach, but I don't think I can afford it. Any suggestions?

Don’t let your fears about your budget keep you from acting on your desire to enjoy your work. Think creatively about where you might find the funds to get the support you need to really make progress toward your goal.

I can’t tell you how many clients I've worked with who received the money they needed to complete the entire program from a parent, a spouse, a friend, a boss, or a former employer. Some managed to get a loan; others were gifted with the fees. Others decided to take on an additional side job because they felt it was so important to invest in this program and their future.

You may not be able to see a way to work with a coach immediately, but keep your eyes and ears open for the possibility. In the meantime, participate in the program fully. Use each insight you discover to move your life forward. You can make the decision to work with a coach at any time.

In addition, keep in mind that we have purposefully created several coaching options so there's something for everyone...whether it's coaching at each step of the way, coaching at key points in the program, coaching in a group format, or coaching on an as needed basis.

What Will the Materials Cost?

The Career Clarity Program materials cost only $96. Imagine having access to a program than can change your life...all for only $96.00. For your investment you receive full access to the online program and a copy of Your Dream Career For Dummies.

You may work through the Career Clarity Program on your own or with a Career Clarity Coach. There are coaching options available for all budgets. Keep in mind that each Career Clarity Coach sets their own rates based on their geographic location and their experience.

The online nature of the Career Clarity Program allows you to access the program and your answers at any time from anywhere. Furthermore, your lifetime access allows you to tap into this resource for future career changes as well.

When you place your order, you’ll also receive these bonuses:

• Advice from Previous Clients
• eBooklet – Feeling Stuck? 101 Ways to Get Rolling Again
• Ten Key Mindsets that Help You Transform Your Career
• Turn Your Inaction into Action ($29.00 value)

If you aren’t happy with the Career Clarity Program materials for any reason, I’ll refund your money. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

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As you read about the Career Clarity Program and the various success stories, it may be hard to imagine that you can find a career that suits you as well as these careers fit my prior clients.

I want to assure you, they all started out feeling just as confused, frustrated, and stressed as you do now. Please know that:

• Life doesn’t have to be as hard as it is today.
• You do have options (even if you can’t see them now).
• You can create a different life and career for yourself.

Recent changes in technology, our culture’s values, and even the current economy make it possible to expand how we think about and structure, our work and our lives. I’ve seen amazing shifts happen in my client’s lives as a result of working through the Career Clarity Program.

Now it’s up to you.

Do you want to sit on the fence hoping your new career will just show up…
Or are you ready to take a proactive role to identify the career that’s best for you?

Remember, you don’t need to know how you’ll resolve your career situation; you just need to know it’s time to find a new direction. Once you make that decision, following the eight Steps of the Career Clarity Program will take you, step-by-step, to your new future.

Need a Little Encouragement to Take the Leap into Your Future?

Read the advice former Career Clarity Clients gave to others who were beginning their career change journey.

You can do this! Let us help you find your dream career and make it real! Take the first step now…place your order for the Career Clarity Program.

P.S. Remember, with my 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, there’s really no risk involved at all.

P.P.S. Still not sure whether the Career Clarity Program meets your needs? We understand. Click on the button below to request a free 30-minute consultation with a Career Clarity Coach—no strings attached.