This article seems timely as I am writing it while parts of the Northeastern U.S. are getting hammered with heavy rain and unprecedented flooding. There will certainly be periods throughout your life when you have to weather the storms in your career. Learning how to successfully navigate a storm is crucial as what you may do today most certainly will affect your future.
Here’s a few tips from some of our original and best navigators, the pirates:
Batten down the hatches
First, take stock of your situation well and make sure that every other area of your life is secure as you weather this temporary situation. Prepare all of the items that you will need to move forward in your journey. Proper creation of a good resume, cover letters and a LinkedIn profile will most certainly be required so start working on them immediately.
Get an Updated Forecast
“Red skies at night, sailors delight…Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning.” Now that you have realized there is a storm be sure to get an accurate reading on it. Evaluate your new situation and embrace it. Face it head on! Don’t be afraid of the storm. There is no denying it so accept it and find a way to sail through it.
Troubleshoot and develop new philosophies
Visualize a group of salty old pirates sitting around in the stern of a ship developing solutions and shouting out new bearings to follow. Just like them, you need to brainstorm and think of new possibilities for your career. What you might realize is perhaps the direction that you were going was not the proper heading after all. “Never in my life before have I experienced such beauty, and fear at the same time,” Ellen MacArthur.
Own the situation and realize that everything starts and ends with you, not the circumstances! You may not be able to control the storm but realize that regardless of whatever happens that “you are the master of your fate and captain of your soul.”
Batten down the hatches
First, take stock of your situation well and make sure that every other area of your life is secure as you weather this temporary situation. Prepare all of the items that you will need to move forward in your journey. Proper creation of a good resume, cover letters and a LinkedIn profile will most certainly be required so start working on them immediately.
Get an Updated Forecast
“Red skies at night, sailors delight…Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning.” Now that you have realized there is a storm be sure to get an accurate reading on it. Evaluate your new situation and embrace it. Face it head on! Don’t be afraid of the storm. There is no denying it so accept it and find a way to sail through it.
Troubleshoot and develop new philosophies
Visualize a group of salty old pirates sitting around in the stern of a ship developing solutions and shouting out new bearings to follow. Just like them, you need to brainstorm and think of new possibilities for your career. What you might realize is perhaps the direction that you were going was not the proper heading after all. “Never in my life before have I experienced such beauty, and fear at the same time,” Ellen MacArthur.
Own the situation and realize that everything starts and ends with you, not the circumstances! You may not be able to control the storm but realize that regardless of whatever happens that “you are the master of your fate and captain of your soul.”
Change of plans arrive in a new port
Be flexible and realize that you will arrive in a different place and that it is okay. Remain open-minded and make the necessary adjustments. You must adapt and be open to change. You may be able to use some of your former skills in your new location but realize that you have to continually learn new ones in order to grow and prosper!
Meet & Greet
Arr Matey! Get out of your boat and meet others. Don’t go it alone. Identify others who are willing to help out and be on your crew. Get involved in your new community and swiftly identify your resources.
It’s necessary to learn how to navigate the storms as life is certain to be filled with not one, but many of them. Just remember that “smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. said, “I find the greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor”.
Be flexible and realize that you will arrive in a different place and that it is okay. Remain open-minded and make the necessary adjustments. You must adapt and be open to change. You may be able to use some of your former skills in your new location but realize that you have to continually learn new ones in order to grow and prosper!
Meet & Greet
Arr Matey! Get out of your boat and meet others. Don’t go it alone. Identify others who are willing to help out and be on your crew. Get involved in your new community and swiftly identify your resources.
It’s necessary to learn how to navigate the storms as life is certain to be filled with not one, but many of them. Just remember that “smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. said, “I find the greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor”.
Written by Christine Harriger, Master Career Counselor and Owner of Career View.
Need help? Check out: www.careerviewcom.weebly.com for information or contact Christine at [email protected] or (703) 969-3992.
Need help? Check out: www.careerviewcom.weebly.com for information or contact Christine at [email protected] or (703) 969-3992.